The Many Properties of Jabberwocky Blood
by Marilyn Mock-up
Summary: Jabberwocky Blood has some curious properties that The White Queen failed to mention. The implications for Alice are huge. Alice/Hatter. Rated M for later chapters. Also...I OWN NOTHING. THESE CHARACTERS ARE NOT MINE!
1. The First Day of the Rest of Your Life

**_This is my first ever Alice In Wonderland Fan Fiction. I love tim burton's version but I gotta say the Lewis Carroll version bored me, so not much will be transported from the original book, its all based upon the film. Just a warning, if you don't guess from this chapter, there will be instances of Hatter/Alice naughtiness later on...'cos thats how I roll. Anyway - ENJOY!_**

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The White Queen bent down and collected a few drops of the blood of the Jabberwocky.

"Will this take me home again?" Alice asked her.

"If that is what you truly want," replied the White Queen

Alice paused for a moment. She knew what she really wanted deep down, and he was standing behind her with beautifully green eyes and bright orange hair and a magnificently silly top-hat.

But what she needed to do at the moment was return to the Aboveland. She had to give an answer to Hamish. She had to help Mother and look after Margaret and watch Lowell to make sure he treated her right. She had duties in the Aboveland. So she couldn't stay, no matter how much she wanted to.

Alice took a deep breath to calm herself down and swallowed the Jabberwocky blood.

Almost immediately after she drank the blood, she felt a hand on her shoulder. As she turned to see who it was she felt another hand lift her chin and before she could even process what was happening, the Hatter's lips were bearing down upon hers. He kissed her gently at first, and then more fiercely, urging her lips apart with his tongue as their hot breath and saliva mixed.

Alice's head was spinning faster than the Hatter's did when he Futterwackened as she leant into the kiss with her whole body. The world around them disappeared and all she could see, hear, feel, taste or smell was this glorious moment. Hatter's hands roamed up and down her body and his tongue explored her mouth. The kiss began cool down as the hatter gently untangled his hands from Alice's hair and stepped back.

Alice opened her eyes and looked up at Hatter's face. He looked absolutely bewildered and his eyes were a deep shade of fuschia.

"Hatter?"

The Hatter shook his head and his eyes turned back to their usual green. "Alice I am most dreadfully sorry, I don't know what came over me but I just had this sudden feeling that I had to do something and it was dreadfully noisy in here and I was thinking of things that began with the letter K and..."

"Hatter!"

"...I'm fine..." he replied in a choked voice.

Alice stopped for a moment as she realised that she was still in underland. "Why haven't I gone home yet?" she asked the White Queen.

"I have no idea" she replied, with a little smile that she suggested that she actually did have an idea. "What did you ask the Jabberwocky blood for?"

"I asked it to take me home."

"Then you should be home. Obviously you were not very clear with it."

"But how do I get home?"

"I am sure that we will think of something. In the meantime, you can come back to the palace and we will find you some quarters."

Alice was concerned about not getting back to aboveland, but just at the moment, all she could think about was the Hatter. His soft lips moving with hers, his tongue finding paths through her mouth. His long fingers gently exploring the curves of her body and tangling in her long, curly hair. As they began the walk back to Marmoreal, Alice allowed her eyes drift to meet the Hatter's. He still looked somewhat bewildered and very confused, but when he saw her looking at him, he smiled back at her with his wide, gap-toothed and decidedly muchy smile that made Alice feel all warm and wobbly. Perhaps she was considering things that begin with the letter W...

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_**So, what did you think? Leave me a review and I'll try to reply to it if I have the time. All comments are welcomed so long as they are helpful. Comments saying "awesome" are every bit as unwelcome as comments saying "crap". Please try and tell me why you liked/disliked it so that I can shape the ensuing story around what you guys want. REVIEW ME. NOW. PLEASE. AND I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER. THANK YOU!**_


	2. Emeralds

_**Thank you for the lovely reviews I received about chapter one! You guys made my day! I hope you like chapter two, there isn't much in the way of plot here, but I think it's still quite important to the general storyline. So...Read on!**_

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When the party arrived back at Marmoreal, Alice was shown back to the room she had occupied the night before by McTwisp.

"Here you are Alice. There is a feast and a ball tonight to celebrate the Frabjous day. You'll find all the clothes you could need in that wardrobe," he said, pointing to an ornately decorated white wardrobe that stood in the corner of the room, "And if you would like any alterations, the Hatter is just next door and I'm sure he would be able to whip something up in a flash."

"Thank you, Nibbets." Alice replied as she walked over to the wardrobe to examine the dresses she'd been given. She hoped there was something in there that wouldn't require a corset or stockings.

"Not at all, Alice" Nibbets said as he gave a little bow and retreated from the room, leaving Alice on her own.

"Let's see, what have we here then?" Alice murmured to herself as she thumbed through the hundreds of beautiful dresses that were lined up in the wardrobe.

There were lacy dresses with high collars and long sleeves. 'No, no, they're much too...proper', Alice thought, and she passed them by without a second thought

There were sparkly dresses with low necklines and no sleeves at all! 'Where on earth did they find them?' Alice thought as she pushed them to the back.

She pushed through a veritable mountain of dresses of varying levels of propriety, sighing at some, giggling at others and even pulling faces at some of the dresses.

Then her hands found it. The perfect dress. It was made of a smooth green satin and had a box neckline. There were some frills and lace, but even that made the dress look beautiful. Across the waistline of the dress a beautiful white ribbon was wrapped around. It went down to the floor too, so there would be no need for stockings. With a smile, Alice pulled it out of the wardrobe and put it on hurriedly. She ran to the mirror and looked at her reflection.

The dress was beautiful, but something was missing from the outfit as a whole.

"I wonder if Hatter can make me something to go with this..." Alice thought. "Hmm...Well, I can go and ask him anyway."

So she changed back into her normal, boring dress and carried the nice dress out into the hall towards the Hatter's rooms.

She lifted her hand to knock on the Hatter's door, and paused.

Ah but wait. I can't see the Hatter just now! What about earlier? The kiss. Does he regret kissing me? He certainly seemed sorry for it afterwards, he kept trying to apologise. Maybe I shouldn't ask him to make me something. He probably doesn't want to see me right now; otherwise he would have come to talk to me. Oh what do I do?

Alice could have done with someone saying her name to stop the thoughts whirling around in her head.

And that's exactly what he did.

"Alice?" Hatter asked, as he appeared behind her in the corridor. "Did you want to see me? I'm dreadfully sorry, I was just out fixing a dress for Mirana and she can be so fussy and then one of her courtiers wanted a hat for the ball tonight and there's always work to be done and..."

"Hatter!"

"...Thank you...I'm fine..."

Alice decided that there would be absolutely no point in pretending now that she hadn't wanted to see him, so she threw caution to the wind and decided to ask him anyway. "Glad to hear it. I wanted to ask you something. Do you think you could make me something to go with this dress for tonight? If it's not too much trouble" She added hastily. She didn't want to seem pushy.

"Of course Alice, I would be delighted to. Actually I think I have just the thing." said Hatter, hurrying into his rooms.

Alice followed him into the room as he rushed over to a delicate-looking white box on top of a chest of drawers.

"Where are they...hmm...A-ha! Here you are Alice I think they will look perfectly beautiful with that dress."

He was holding up a matching set of a necklace and earrings. They were made of opals like the ones in the Vorpal sword and hanging from the necklace, was a large and very beautiful emerald that sparkled in the light of the setting sun that streamed through the open window.

"Oh Hatter, they're beautiful!" exclaimed Alice. "Where did you get them?"

"Oh they're just old trinkets I had lying around. Someone may as well wear them!"

"Well I just _love_ them. Thank you ever so much, Hatter!"

"You are most definitely welcome Alice" he replied with a smile

Alice grinned widely at him and ran back to her rooms with her new accesories to get ready for the celebrations and Hatter watched her go, with the dress that was the exact colour of his eyes and his mother's necklace. She would look lovely. As he turned to his own wardrobe, his mind drifted to thoughts of something – or rather someone – beginning with the letter A...

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_**So what did you think? Leave me a comment because I really do read them and take them on board - in fact I'm even considering some suggestions from a review of chapter one for later on. Anyway, the next chapter will explain many things that may be confusing about the plot so far. Excited? :)**_


	3. Explanations

_**Hello people! Thank you for all your lovely reviews and support! And I AM EXTREMELY VERY SORRY that it took me so long to update. But anyway, here is chapter 3 of this story. Please leave me a little review telling me what you think and anything you think I should add to the story. Anything constructive is welcome. So, enjoy!**_

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At precisely sundown, Alice made her way down to the Frabjous day feast. As she made her way into the hall, it became apparent to her that she was in fact, one of the last people to arrive.

She looked around for a free seat and the Hatter caught her eye. He was gesturing to the seat on his right. Well then; Alice would be more than happy to oblige him. She went and sat down beside him.

"Good evening, Hatter. Am I very late?"

"Only a little Alice, I wouldn't worry" he said, and he smiled at her.

Alice couldn't help but smile back.

Just at that moment, Mirana stood up and clinked her goblet.

"Friends! We are gathered here this joyous evening to celebrate the Frabjous day and the triumph of our champion, Alice, over the dreaded Jabberwocky!"

The hall erupted in cheers.

After the cheers had quieted, Mirana once again addressed the room.

"Alice has our everlasting gratitude for ridding us of the monster, and restoring me to the throne." She turned to Alice. "If there is anything we can do for you Alice, anything at all, do not hesitate to ask." She turned back to the crowded room. "Now, enjoy our festivities!"

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Provided for them that night was some of the most incredible food that Alice had ever eaten. There were delicious roasted animals that Alice couldn't put a name to and a strange kind of vegetable that looked like a bright pink carrot but tasted like beetroot. There were squidberry tarts and, best of all, a big cake shaped like a jabberwocky – missing it's head of course.

During the meal, Alice and Hatter chatted away and joke about like old friends – which of course they were.

"Hatter?"

"Yes Alice?"

"I have a question to ask you."

"Alright then Alice. Ask away"

"But you must promise to take it seriously and answer absolutely honestly. Do you promise?"

"I should be worried about agreeing to this, but alright. I promise that I shall be a sombre as a Frabjous day funeral."

Alice paused for a moment and gazed deep into the Hatter's bright green eyes.

"Why" she asked, pausing dramatically, "_is_ a raven like a writing desk?"

They both burst out laughing at that point, and Mirana gave them a look that clearly said that she thought Alice was as mad as the Hatter.

But they didn't care. They were in a happy, private little bubble.

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After the meal was over, the tables were quickly cleared away and a small group of musicians gathered in the corner of the hall for the ball.

As the music began to fill the hall, the Hatter approached Alice.

"Alice my dear, may I have the honour of your first dance of the night?"

Alice was very pleased that Hatter hadn't decided to avoid her after the 'incident' earlier on, and of course she obliged him. Hatter grinned at her, and took her hand to lead her out on to the dance floor.

"So, Alice," Hatter began as the music for the first dance started up. "I believe I have yet to compliment you on your beautiful choice of dress this evening. It is a wonderful colour! Delightful! Delicious! Deleri..."

"Hatter!"

"I'm fine. Sorry" he choked.

"It's alright Hatter, I know you can't help it."

"Please, Alice. We are friends now, aren't we? Call me Tarrant."

"Alright...Tarrant..."

"Thank you."

For a minute or so they danced without talking, which gave Alice the opportunity to inspect, and appreciate, what Tarrant was wearing. He was still wearing a kilt, however, it was clear that care had been taken over his appearance in preparation for the ball that night. His socks were matching, his shoes were polished and his shirt, waistcoat, jacket and ascot were all absolutely spotless and in colours that complimented each other perfectly, as opposed to the usual hotchpotch of colours that generally made up his attire.

"So, Tarrant, I believe that I too have yet to compliment your attire tonight. You look perfectly lovely."

"Why thank you Alice. I take that as a high form of compliment coming from your lips."

For a moment Alice was silent as she tried to work up some courage.

"Tarrant? Speaking of my lips...Why did you kiss me earlier?"

Tarrant froze and his eyes became flecked with orange as the madness came to the fore, and also with fuchsia, as the passion came to the fore.

"Alice lass," he replied, his thick Scottish accent appearing as he fought for control. "I though' I'd said sorry for tha' earlier. Can ye no forgive a man for something he canne' control?"

"But Tarrant, I have forgiven you. Of course I have, I forgave you the instant it happened. I just wanted to know why you...did what you did..."

"Alice ma dear, and here was me thinking you were a clever wee lass!"

His eyes softened a little, some of the orange giving way to the fuchsia as he looked down at Alice, who was paralysed, still thinking about the meaning behind his words.

"I couldn't help it Alice." Tarrant said, his soft lisp returning, and his voice taking on a hint of urgency. "The instant you swallowed the Jabberwocky blood, it was like an invisible hand was forcing me towards you. I didn't mean to do it."

Alice was very disappointed. She had hoped he had done it because he felt for her, but it seemed that it was only an unfortunate side-effect of Alice taking Jabberwocky blood.

"Alice?" Tarrant asked, calling her back from her thoughts. "Are you alright?"

"Actually Tarrant, I'm suddenly feeling rather unwell. Would you excuse me, I think I need some air." And with that, Alice turned around and ran for the door.

"Alice!" Tarrant called after her as he tried to navigate through the dancers to follow her, but she was already gone.

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_**Oooh drama drama drama! Never fear, Tarrant is not a heartless hatter. Tell me what you think. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW! Oh and please be patient with me, I work as much as I can, but I'm a slow writer!**_


	4. Confessions

_**See what happens when I get nice reviews? I get inspired. Well actually, this chapter almost seemed to write itself. But aren't you all lucky? However, don't expect subsequent chapters nearly so fast. You will need to be patient. ANYWAY, I hope you have as much fun reading this chapter as I had writing it. Again, don't be afraid to leave me a review, I promise I read them all and they all brighten up my day and inspire me to write more. Enjoy chapter 4 :)**_

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When Alice got out to the gardens of marmoreal, she ran immediately for the far away stone bench where just that morning she had been speaking to Absolem. Had it really been that same day? It seemed to Alice like almost a lifetime had passed, and yet, there was Absolem's cocoon hanging from the pillar, as she had last seen it that morning. She threw herself down on the bench and started to cry.

"Why are you crying?" she asked herself, as the salty tears ran down her face. "You couldn't really have believed that he had feelings for you!" But Alice had. She had allowed herself to believe, if only for a few moments, that Tarrant had kissed her because he loved her. But he hadn't. He had merely been forced to, like a puppet of the Jabberwocky blood.

In frustration, Alice stood up and kicked a nearby bush. Why didn't the Jabberwocky blood work the way Mirana said it should? Why wasn't she home?

Then the answer hit her.

Jabberwocky blood didn't give you what you chose. It gave you what you wanted the most. And what Alice wanted the most was not to return home, give an answer to Hamish, keep an eye on Lowell or help run the family business. What Alice wanted most, in the whole of underland and aboveland, was a certain Hatter with bright orange hair and green eyes the exact same shade as her dress and a gap-toothed smile and a magnificent top hat.

As Alice realised this, she realised also the implications of this decision. Because of her feelings for Tarrant, she was trapped in underland forever. She would never see her family or friends again. Not Margaret, not her mother, not Hamish, not even Lowell.

She had one world, and one life now. Underland was her life. Her friends now were Nivens, Mallyumkin, Thackery and, most regrettably, Tarrant. And they were all she would ever have.

And then she started to sob.

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Tarrant had managed to fight his way out of the hall to follow Alice, but by the time he got to the doors, she was out of sight. He kicked himself for being so cruel to her. Of course nothing he had said was untrue, but there was more to it than what he had told her. If only he had been calmer, he could have told her. He would have told her that, yes the jabberwocky blood had forced him towards her, but he would have gone anyway. Yes the jabberwocky blood had made him place his lips against hers, but it was desire that had made them stay there.

Tarrant hurried around marmoreal's sizeable gardens, looking for any trace of Alice, but he could not find her anywhere. He stood for a moment by a particularly tall bush, covered with beautiful and delicate white roses, as he tried to catch his breath and considered going back inside and waiting for her to turn up. But just at that moment, the bush by which he was standing rustled quite alarmingly. Tarrant stood for a moment, examining the bush and trying to figure out what had caused it to shake and shiver like a strong gust of wind had hit it. About half a minute later, he heard sobbing from the other side of the bush and knew immediately why it had moved.

Alice.

He walked around the bush and, sure enough, there was Alice, sitting on a stone bench with her head on her hands, sobbing.

Tarrant paused for a moment, debating whether to leave her alone or attempt to comfort her. After a short while he quietly said, "Alice?"

Alice looked up at Tarrant, her eyes bloodshot and filled with tears.

"Alice?" He asked a bit louder, "Are you alright?"

She paused for a moment before answering, "Yes Tarrant, I'm fine. Go back inside and enjoy the party."

"But I can't without you."

"Of course you can. There are lots of other people to dance with inside. You don't need me to be inside for you to be inside."

"That wasn't what I meant Alice."

Alice looked up at him curiously.

"I meant that I can't enjoy the party without you."

Alice considered this for a moment, before she answered angrily, "Tarrant, stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Stop pretending you want me. I know you're only trying to make me feel better and you mean well, but honestly, it only makes me feel even worse."

"Alice I..."

"No! I'm not a child anymore. I don't need beautiful lies anymore, I can handle the truth."

"But Alice, the truth is that I do want you."

Alice froze, bewildered by his declaration. Then she answered in a careful, guarded voice, casting her blue eyes away from his beautiful pink ones, "You don't mean that. You told me earlier."

This hurt Tarrant like someone had plunged a knife into his chest and cut away his heart. He needed to make her see herself the way he saw her. With a hint of desperation and a lot of his real accent in his voice he said, "But ah do Alice. Ah mean every word more than ah've ever meant anything in ma entire life a' fore."

"But you said..."

"Ah know what ah said. But ah did'nay explain it righ'. Aye, the jabberwocky blood made me go te ye. But nothin' would ha' stopped me anyway, jabberwocky blood or nay. It may ha' been the Jabberwocky blood tha' made me kiss ye, but it was all me tha' kept the kiss goin'. Ah really do want ye Alice.

And with that, he kissed her. It wasn't the same as the kiss earlier had been. It was far gentler and more tender, as Tarrant tried desperately to prove to Alice that he loved her.

Alice was definitely dreaming. That was the conclusion she had come to. How else could it be happening? Tarrant wanted _her_.He could have had any woman in Underland (just about) and yet he chose her. Alice.

This was definitely a dream. But Alice didn't want to wake up any time soon .

Sadly though, every kiss has its end, and when it came, Alice looked into Tarrant's deep eyes and scowled playfully at him. "Why couldn't you just have told me before?" she teased.

Tarrant chuckled and allowed his pale hand to brush the necklace he had given her that afternoon. Alice followed his eyes as he examined it. He seemed to be miles away, deep in thought.

"Tarrant? Where _did_ you get this necklace? It's not the sort of thing one has just 'lying around'"

"It was ma mother's. She was the mos' lovely lady in Hightopp Clan. Bu' it looks even better on you lass," he answered, giving another throaty chuckle, as he took her by the hand and led her back inside to the Frabjous day ball, where she was the honoured guest. As they walked, both of them were earnestly considering something very particular that began with the letter L.

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_**Now wasn't that nice? Not quite declarations of undying love but Tarrant is underland scottish, what did you expect? I hope you liked it and PLEASE LEAVE ME A REVIEW PLEASE PLEASE I BEG OF YOU. I'm a not-so-secret egotist clearly :P**_


	5. Jabberwocky's Tricks

_**So, its very lovely reading reviews from all of you on the story so far! I thank you most heartily. What I'd really love is for someone to have a go at some kind of fan art (not such a subtle hint) if anyone is arty...? Anyway I hope you like this chapter, its got a couple of very interesting little twists in it. Enjoy! And as always - REVIEW**_

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When Alice and Tarrant returned to the ball, they found that – much to their relief – nobody had really noticed their absence. For the rest of the evening they danced and talked and laughed cheerfully. However, they were very careful not to make their feelings for each other too obvious. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement between the two of them that no one else was to know until they knew themselves where they stood.

Not that they could stop intuition. Mirana had been watching them all evening, ever since the kiss after the battle. She alone knew fully why the Jabberwocky blood had caused such a strange thing to happen. Much as Alice had suspected, Jabberwocky blood could not be controlled. Instead it offers a route to your most sincere desire, if you are willing to reach out, and take it, that is.

Mirana smiled to herself as she thought of the path that had now been mapped out for Alice and Tarrant. Two lovers, cast adrift on the swirling sea of fate, without the slightest idea what lay before them. She watched them swaying gently to a slower song that the band was playing and sighed in her head. It was indeed lovely to have fresh, young lovers in the court once more.

And yet, Mirana couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive about their future. About their feelings for each other, she could hold no doubt at all. Everyone at court had known how Tarrant felt about Alice for a long time. After all, he had stopped time for her. And since Alice's return, no doubt could be entertained about her feelings either. But Jabberwocky blood had been known to have some other strange properties. Of course, the tea cravings would be no problem to deal with, especially with Tarrant and Thackery around. The lethargy too, could easily be slept off in the matter of a few days. But some of the more worrying properties of Jabberwocky blood included disorientation – it can be a lot to deal with having your most sincere wish granted – recklessness – again, you would be surprised with what getting your wishes granted will do to you – and a bit of an overflow of affectionate feelings.

The most worrying effect of Jabberwocky blood however, was one that was hard to describe. In every recorded instance of ingestion of Jabberwocky blood, a path had indeed been granted to the drinker's deepest desires. But large and difficult to navigate obstacles had been thrown up before the drinker had got very far in achieving their dreams. Sometimes, these were overcome, in which case the drinker spent the rest of their life quite happily, never wanting for anything else as long as they lived. Other times, however, the problems destroyed any hope they ever had of achieving their dreams, placing them permanently out of their reach, and causing the drinker to live a tortured life, always longing for that which they can never have.

Mirana watched them as Alice rested her head against Tarrant's chest, and prayed to every god she had ever heard of that they could pull through whatever was coming for them.

* * *

Alice and Tarrant danced slowly and blissfully around the hall lost in a cloud of their own happiness. All either of them could think of was how unbelievably amazing it was that the other wanted to be with them.

Tarrant was dazzled by Alice's beauty and frankly couldn't understand why a girl who was so...muchy...would want to be with a nutter like him. He gazed deeply into her welkin eyes and felt his heart start to thud and his stomach start to Futterwacken as she looked up at him and smiled a broad smile, before leaning down and gently resting her head against his chest.

They swayed around the floor together, Alice's head on Tarrant's chest, to the beating of Tarrant's heart, which Alice could feel every bit as clearly as she could hear it.

"Tarrant?" Alice asked as they swayed, without lifting her head from his chest.

"Mmmm?"

"I like this."

"I like it very much as well Alice dear, in fact it is so very wonderful and wonderbubble and wonderwall and wondrous that I could Futterwacken right here in the middle of the hall."

"Would that mean me taking my head off your chest?"

Tarrant chuckled quietly "I'm afraid it would Alice."

"Then you are not allowed." Alice replied stoutly, and they both laughed together.

Alice yawned widely into Tarrant's ascot.

"Are you sleepy Alice?"

"No. Of course not!" She replied. However her assurance was somewhat ruined by another yawn interrupting her.

"Come along Alice. It has been a very, very busy day, and I think you had really ought to go to bed."

Alice lifted her head and pouted at him, before replying "Make me."

"Don't tempt me Alice" Tarrant replied, tapping her nose gently

"And why not?"

Tarrant smiled at her, before taking her by the hand and leading her out into the moonlit gardens.

* * *

Once they were safely outside and assured of being alone, Tarrant leaned down and kissed Alice gently, feeling her getting carried away in the kiss and, taking advantage of her momentary distraction, he picked her up and began carrying her towards her rooms.

They were back inside and halfway up the stairs before Alice even noticed. But she put up very little resistance. She was just happy to be in Tarrant's arms. When they reached Alice's room however, she insisted that she could walk herself to bed. Tarrant followed her in anyway.

"Tonight was very lovely Tarrant. Thank you."

"No, thank you Alice. I am so unbelievably pleased that we talked tonight."

Alice grinned as she pulled him by the lapel of his jacket down to her height and kissed him. They kissed passionately for a few seconds, when Tarrant suddenly froze. He pulled away from her, then looked at her with a curiously guarded expression.

"Thank you for a most pleasant evening Alice," Tarrant said quietly and very formally, all traces of teasing gone. "Goodnight." He then turned on his heel and walked quickly out of the room.

"Goodnight...Tarrant" Alice whispered in reply, just as he was closing the door behind him. She fancied she saw him pause for a moment, before the door shut tight, but she may have just imagined it

Once Tarrant had gone, Alice began getting ready for bed. "Curiouser and curiouser..." She said quietly to herself, as a whole alphabet of thoughts buzzed around in her head.

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_**So, are we suitably panicked yet? Concerned? You should be. So, now you know what you have to do. REVIEW IT. NOW.**_


	6. Warnings and Warrings

_**So I got quite a mixture of reactions for the last chapter. Some were amused, some were bemused, some were angry and some loved it. I just couldn't bear to leave you hanging any longer so I wrote insanely fast to get this online for you. You'd better be grateful! Anyway, I hope you like it and REVIEW IT PLEASE :D**_

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Tarrant flew around his rooms in a rage, destroying hours of precious work in minutes as he went and leaving a trail of destruction behind him. What was he doing? Inside his head, the voices were all screaming at each other. This one was yelling about how great Alice is, that one was yelling at him for leaving Alice, another was yelling at him for even kissing her in the first place. Tarrant was trying to drown them out by mentally screaming and tearing apart everything in sight.

After a short while however, the orange in his eyes faded back to green, and Tarrant sat on his bed, the one island of tidy in the sea of mess that was his, usually spotless, room. He stared blankly at the door opposite, hoping that Alice had heard the madness and would come check on him. But he had no such luck. Instead he was left to his own, somewhat calmer than earlier, thoughts.

What was he doing? He shouldn't be with Alice. She was much younger than him, much more beautiful than him and much better than him in almost every way. She deserved much better than an insane Hatter, who had spent the last god-only-knows-how-long sitting at a table having tea with a Dormouse and a Hare.

For hours he sat motionless on the bed, coming to no kind of conclusion. He sat until the sun came up. Then he decided it was probably time to start clearing up. He wanted to cry when he saw the damage he had done to some really beautiful hats he was making, but perhaps he could mend them. He tidied the whole room until it was spotless, then went to bed, in the vain hope of catching a couple of hours sleep before he had to face Alice again.

* * *

Alice was woken in the morning by Nivens knocking on her door. It took her a moment before she remembered that she was in Underland, not London, but then she remembered, and shortly after the memory of the night before came rushing back, bringing with it some very mixed emotions. Nivens knocked again and she was jolted out of her thoughts.

"Yes?"

"Good morning Alice. The Queen requests your company for breakfast this morning, in her private chambers. I am to escort you down in precisely fifteen minutes."

"Oh. Oh alright. Thank you Nivens."

"Alice." He replied politely before, leaving her to get ready.

What on earth could Mirana possibly want with her so early, Alice thought grumpily as she got out of bed and began to dress herself. After ten minutes, she was dressed, although her hair was still, despite Alice's best efforts with the comb, a tangled mess of curls. She sighed as she looked in the mirror, but decided she would just have to put up with it today. She didn't feel like waiting for Nivens to come back, so she left the room and started towards the Queen's chambers. As she passed Tarrant's room, she remembered the commotion she had heard coming from it the night before, and wondered if she ought to check on him. But she quickly decided against it when she recalled how abruptly he had left her the night before. So she kept on walking towards her breakfast appointment.

Alice reached the doors of Mirana's private chambers and knocked on the door.

"Enter!" came the reply.

Alice was quick to obey and, closing the door behind her, she was very surprised to see Tarrant sitting at the table sipping tea from a pretty china teacup. She couldn't help grinning at him as she took her seat opposite Tarrant, on Mirana's right, and was reassured when he grinned back at her.

Mirana was the first to break the silence.

"Would you like a cup of tea Alice?"

Alice didn't normally drink tea, but this morning felt like an exception. "Yes please, Mirana." She answered, and Mirana poured her a generous cup of tea.

"We have something of grave importance to discuss." Alice and Tarrant glanced apprehensively at each other. "Firstly, I am well aware, as is most of the court, of the blossoming relationship between the two of you, so you may as well stop trying to hide it - not that you were trying very hard last night anyway" she added with a smile. Tarrant and Alice grinned at each other. Alice hoped he was over whatever had made him behave so strangely the night before, but he was still behaving a little more guardedly than usual.

"Now, on to the reason why I called you both here this morning. I assume you have discussed the role of the Jabberwocky blood in this fortunate and long overdue turn of events?"

"It came up. Briefly." Tarrant answered

"And what have you discovered so far?"

"Well," answered Alice, "I think that Jabberwocky blood doesn't give you things you ask it to. I think it gives you...what you want most..." Alice looked down at the floor so that Tarrant wouldn't see her blush when she said the last part.

When Tarrant heard her say those words, all his doubts and fears left him. In that instant, he knew without the slightest hesitation that he loved Alice more than anything, and he would do anything to protect her, even die for her if it came to it. He beamed at Alice, although she couldn't see him because she was still pretending to have an avid interest in her shoes.

"You are correct Alice. In part. Jabberwocky blood does not so much grant your heart's desire as a path to your heart's most sincere wishes. So Tarrant kissing you was really only the start."

Alice and Tarrant looked at Mirana, each as confused as the other.

"What I mean to say is that you may be happy now. You may think that you are as happy as it is possible to be. But Jabberwocky blood will, in time, grant you the deepest happiness possible."

Alice and Tarrant both thought carefully about what this meant. Both of them thought that being with the other was as good as life could get. But apparently, things were going to get even better. Alice could hardly believe her luck, she was already euphoric and the assurance that it was going to get better was almost unbelievable to her. But Tarrant was a bit more sceptical.

"And what do we pay for this privilege then, Mirana?"

"Ah yes, as with all good things, it will not come easily. I called you here this morning to warn you. Be on your guard. Jabberwocky blood has never been known to spare suffering. There will be challenges. They will test you. The blood of the Jabberwocky likes to make sure that you want what you're fighting for more than anything else, so you had better know exactly what you are fighting for, and why."

And with that, Mirana dismissed them both. Bemused, Alice and Tarrant wandered away from Mirana's chambers, thinking on her warning. As they were going out through the main doors, Tarrant took Alice's hand and smiled down at her. Alice smiled back. They went and sat on a marble bench in a far corner of the gardens.

Tarrant turned to Alice and said, "So Alice, it would appear that we need to talk."

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_**There! Are you satisfied now? You will probably have to be patient for the next chapter. Hopefully this weekend but if its not up by Sunday night it won't be up before Friday next week because I'm away Monday to Thursday. So, you guys know the dealio, review, follow, favourite, whatever you want :) But I promise I really do read every review and if there is a specific point raised in a review I normally reply too :D**_


	7. The Letter M

_**Hello! Sorry it took so long to update this chapter but I've been very busy recently and to be honest it just slipped my mind. Also the chapter kept wanting to write itself all soppy. I tried to keep the sop under control but some of it managed to soak through. Oh well, I guess you'll just have to deal with it for one chapter. Anyway, I'll try and update a bit more regularly from now on but I can't promise anything and as always, you know the drill. REVIEW IT. PLEASEEEEEEE.**_

* * *

Alice looked up at Tarrant with a mixture of reluctance and resignation.

"Yes, I suppose we should really have a talk."

"Alice, these trials that Mirana speaks of, they sound awfully like the sort of thing one doesn't enter into lightly."

"I know. And I'm not."

"Are you certain though?" Tarrant asked urgently, leaning down towards her until their faces were inches apart. "Are you absolutely sure this is what you want?"

Alice was taken aback to see Tarrant so intense. Yes, she had seen him angry before. She had seen him Futterwacken for joy and wallow in the deepest pit of sorrow, but she had never seen this level of urgency. She swallowed and looked him in the eyes before whispering, "I'm sure."

She saw her words taking effect on him almost immediately, and saw little hints of fuchsia creep into his bright green eyes. "Well in that case, I suppose we ought to go about this properly!" He answered far more brightly, pulling his eyes away from hers and fussing with his pockets and his ascot and his waistcoat.

"What on earth are you talking about Tarrant?" Alice asked, befuddled by his constant mood-swings. She didn't have to wait long to find out.

Tarrant got down off the bench they were both sitting on and knelt down in front of Alice, pulling out a little wooden box from inside his coat.

"Tarrant...?" Alice asked, a note of panic coming into her voice. "What are you doing?"

"Relax, darling Alice." Tarrant replied, looking deeply into her bright blue eyes with his now fuchsia ones. Alice tried to do as she was told, but found it extremely difficult with her hatter kneeling in front of her presenting her with an engagement ring.

"Alice Kingsleigh, when I first met you, I was absolutely fascinated by you. You were so muchy, and not in the least afraid of me or my strange ways like others have been. Then you left, and it felt as though someone had taken away a part of me. A part I hadn't even known existed. I languished for you. I had to stop time just to keep on going...or not going...I forget. Which is it do you think?"

"Hatter!" Alice said to get him back on track, with a giggle.

"Oh, right yes of course. Quite right. Sorry Alice dear. Anyway, I found my life was so empty without you. All I wanted was to have my little Alice back. But you were only a child when I had known you. I couldn't have foreseen what I felt when you returned to Underland and joined in my mad little tea party. I knew as soon as I saw you though. You were much smaller than you ought, and indeed than you are now, but I knew instantly that I loved you. That I would always love you. I would do anything for you Alice. And I simply cannot fathom a world without you."

Alice had tears of joy in her eyes now, listening to Tarrant's proclamation of love.

Tarrant's voice slipped into the thick brogue that usually marked a particularly strong surge of emotion. "Alice dearie. Ma bonnie wee lass. Will ye be ma wife?"

Alice's throat tightened as the Tarrant asked the question she had been waiting for. "Oh Tarrant, of course I will!" she cried, and threw her arms around him. He straightened up, picked her off the ground and spun her around, letting out a whoop of joy that echoed around the castle and the grounds. They laughed together as Tarrant gently set her down on her feet again. They were both utterly euphoric. Alice couldn't believe that she had found a man so perfect for her. Tarrant just wanted to parade his new fiancé around the castle and shout from the highest tower that Underland's champion, THE Alice was his and only his.

"Oh Alice, my love! I am so happy I could Futterwacken right here, I really could. But come, come now we have far more important things to be getting on with at the moment. We must tell Mirana at once of course, she would be absolutely devastated if she wasn't the absolute first to know about this. And she'll want to plan everything of course. Always her way. Oh well I suppose it can't be helped! Might as well let..."

"Tarrant!" Alice giggled.

"Oh right yes sorry Alice. I do get so very carried away sometimes I simply can't even..."

"Tarrant! Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Forgetting something? I don't think so. Is it your un-birthday today? Oh Alice, I'm dreadfully sorry to have forgotten, I promise I will get you something..."

"No Tarrant! The ring, silly!"

"Oh yes of course the ring! Silly me. Here you are, Alice" he said, slipping the beautiful emerald and diamond ring onto her fourth finger.

"Oh Tarrant, its breathtaking" she gasped. "Thank you."

"No. Thank you Alice. Thank you ever so much. Now we really must go inform Mirana of our intended union." And with that, he grabbed her by the hand and practically dragged her back into the castle.

* * *

Mirana was of course thrilled by the news of their engagement. She was so thrilled that she offered to throw them a magnificent ball to celebrate the event, until they reminded her that she had thrown a ball only the night before, and perhaps her courtiers deserved a few nights rest at least.

Once she had reluctantly agreed to postpone the ball, she then began to insist that they begin planning the wedding. And of course the castle was to be used. And they were to have only the best of everything. A towering cake, white lilies, white roses, in fact they were to have white everything.

"And of course Alice, you will have the most magnificent wedding dress."

Alice glanced uncertainly up at Tarrant before replying, "Actually Mirana, I had rather hoped that I could wear a dress made by Tarrant."

"Really? How strange. I'm not entirely sure that I should allow that, but I'll make an exception just this once. Only because it's you though!"

By the end of the day, Alice was worn out with wedding preparation. For goodness sake, she had only been engaged a few hours and already it seemed her life was planned out for her. With frayed nerves and a pounding headache, she finally managed to escape Mirana and get back to her chambers.

Before she retired to bed and forgot all about it though, she had one thing left to do. She found a leaf of paper and a quill and wrote a quick note to Tarrant, before nipping across the hall and sliding it under his door. Then she decided it really was time for bed, and she retired to her chambers for the night with a big grin on her face.

When Tarrant retired to his rooms a bit later, after having been harassed by Mirana for a few hours longer than Alice, he opened his door and found the note from Alice on the floor. He picked it up and opened it curiously.

"Dear Tarrant,

Today was wonderful. Truly magical. It has made me consider things beginning with the letter M;

Mirana; Marriage; Matrimony; Madness.

But most of all, My Mad Hatter.

I love you.

Alice"

Tarrant felt very warm inside all of a sudden. He carefully folded the note back up, and placed it carefully under his pillow, before he too retired to bed with a big grin on his face.

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_**So, what did we think? Too soppy? You know how to let me know! Review it! Please. And I shall love you 'til eternity and beyond! Thanks guys!**_


	8. Little Hightopps

_**Hello all! Welcome to chapter 8 of this story! I haven't really got that much to say about this one, I think the chapter will speak for itself. Except of course thank you for all the reviews of the last chapter! You really cannot understand how encouraging it is to read all of your reviews. The more reviews, the quicker the updates. Remember that :P. And REVIEW ME PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PRETTY PRETTY PLEASE! **_

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Alice sighed in frustration for at least the tenth time that day."Mirana, I mean it. I really don't want anything too extravagant for the wedding!"

Mirana had just suggested that Alice should ride down the aisle on the back of some Underlandian creature with a name that was far too long and complicated for Alice to pronounce. Sadly, this was not the strangest suggestion made since the wedding plans had begun two weeks previous.

"But Alice! You only get one wedding day. Don't you want it to be special?" Mirana protested.

"It will be special no matter how we do it. We don't need you to go to all that trouble and expense for us. It's not me and you know it's not Tarrant either."

At that moment, as if the mention of his name had summoned him, Tarrant stuck his head round the door into the room they were sitting in making wedding plans.

"What's not me?"

"Ah Tarrant thank goodness! Tell Mirana that it would be utterly absurd for me to ride down the aisle on a...What was it again Mirana?"

"A Tarrewflenamback." Mirana said, trying to hold back a laugh

"Right. One of those."

"Actually Alice," Tarrant said, "I think it perfectly silly for you to say that something 'absurd' isn't suited to either of us. You are marrying the _mad_ hatter remember! However Mirana, I feel I must say that whatever Alice wants is exactly what I want as well so there you are. No Tarrewflenambacks I'm afraid!"

Mirana made a small moue of dissapointment and Tarrant gave a good-humoured chuckle. Since he had become engaged to Alice the madness seemed to be affecting him far less. In fact, he was almost normal. Well...not really but far more normal than before.

"Anyway, I actually came here to ask if I could borrow Alice?" Tarrant said

"Oh yes please!" Alice cried, desperate to get away from all the wedding talk.

"Mirana?" Tarrant asked her.

Mirana nodded, smiling, and returned to the sketch she was making of a magnificent 10-tiered wedding cake. Another one of the things that had caused Alice headaches since the engagement.

Alice leapt from her chair, ran to the door and took Tarrant's hand.

"Fairfarren Mirana!" Tarrant called over his shoulder as Alice dragged him away.

"Fairfarren," he heard her reply just as the door was shutting.

"So, what are we doing today? A walk around the grounds? Riding? More Underland tours?" Alice asked eagerly.

"I'm afraid not Alice dear. You will be extremely disappointed to hear that I have stolen you for wedding business too."

"No! Please Tarrant I've been with Mirana talking about the wedding all day. All week in fact. The woman is exhausting!"

Tarrant chuckled. "I will have a word with her and see if I can't get her to leave the wedding talk alone for a while. But I'm afraid this simply cannot wait any longer Alice."

Tarrant led her to his chambers and inside. He stood her in the middle of the bedroom floor. "Don't move." He commanded.

Alice obeyed and stood as still as she could while Tarrant stepped back and looked her up and down. They stood there in the same position - Alice standing, Tarrant observing – for about five minutes before Alice coughed quietly to get his attention.

"Ummm...Tarrant?"

"Hush Alice dear." He replied before he turned around and rummaged through a drawer looking for something. A few seconds later he produced a tailor's measuring tape. "Here we are."

"Tarrant. What are you doing?"

"Well you said you wanted me to make your wedding dress yes? That would involve taking your measurements of course. Honestly Alice, sometimes I think that you're the mad one out of the two of us!" He replied with a chuckle, before advancing on her with the measuring tape.

* * *

Half an hour later, with all Alice's measurements taken and recorded for future use, the couple were riding out of marmoreal together. Tarrant was taking Alice for another Underland tour after she had insisted the whole time he was trying to measure her that she would only comply if he would take her out of the castle for the rest of the afternoon when he was finished.

They didn't have very much of the afternoon left by the time they got out, so Tarrant decided he would take Alice up a mountain trail that lay close to the castle. He had assured her repeatedly that the view from the top was something that simply couldn't be described, but had to be seen. So, the two lovers had ventured out together, both of them pleased to have a few minutes of peace and privacy, things that were becoming increasingly difficult to come by in Marmoreal.

It took them an hour and a half to get to the top of the mountain trail, by which point the horses were starting to get tired and the sun was setting in the Underland sky. They rose up over the summit and Alice couldn't help but gasp at the view that met her.

Beneath them stretched the whole of Underland, bathed in a beautiful orange glow that streamed from the setting sun.

"It's so beautiful Tarrant!" Alice exclaimed as the place she had known as wonderland for her whole childhood really lived up to the name.

"It's Underland – what did you expect?" he teased. Inwardly though, he was brimming with joy that she loved Underland as much as he did. She would never want to leave him again after this.

"It's so...muchy..."

Tarrant laughed so hard that the horse he was riding had to ask him to calm down.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing Alice dear! Absolutely nothing. I am laughing because absolutely nothing is wrong. In fact nothing has been this right in years!"

"What on earth do you mean Tarrant?"

"Just...this moment. It is absolutely splendiferously perfect. I am here on top of a mountain in Underland with the girl I love more than life itself who for some mad and unbelievable reason has agreed to marry me."

Alice didn't know what to say to this. She could feel a lump in her throat forming from what he had just said and she didn't want to reply to all that just yet, in case she ended up crying like a baby up here in the middle of nowhere. To avoid all this, she decided to try to change the subject.

"So, where in Underland are you from?"

"Look to the east. Do you see those woods?"

Alice squinted until she spotted the woods. "Yes." She answered.

"That's the Wandering Woods. So called because if you happen to enter you'll find it very difficult to get back out. Just beyond that is the town of Witzend. That's where the Hightopp Clan have been for as long as anyone can remember. That's also where we'll live after we get married."

Alice was shocked by this very sudden revelation. "What? You mean we won't stay in Marmoreal?"

"Now really Alice, you didn't honestly think we were going to trespass on Mirana's hospitality forever did you? My my you really can be a very silly girl!"

"I hadn't really thought about it..."

"And you needn't in future my dear. I have a house in Witzend which is well furnished and comfortable – although I haven't lived there for years - and most certainly big enough for both of us. And any little Hightopps that may come along in future." He said with a wink.

Alice's head was spinning and she suddenly got the strangest sensation of drowning. A house? Little Hightopps? She had only been engaged two weeks! She felt like her life had all been planned out for her, without her having any input whatsoever.

"Alice?" Tarrant asked noticing her distress. "Alice, are you quite alright?"

She gulped and managed to whisper "Yes Tarrant. I'm fine."

"Are you sure? Would you like to return to the castle?"

"Tarrant! Just stop fussing! I can manage on my own perfectly all right you know!"

"All right...what would you like me to do or say? Just tell me Alice and I'll do it."

"It's not you Tarrant" Alice said, feeling guilty immediately. "I'm just...tired I guess. Let's go back to the castle. Mirana will be worrying if we're not back soon."

And with that she turned and began to ride back down the trail. Tarrant sighed in confusion and frustration and turned his horse down the hill to follow her back to marmoreal.

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_**So, what did we think? Leave me a comment in the reviews and if its particularly interesting (and you're signed in) then I may even get back to you about it. I'll try and update quick because I feel very guilty when I leave a chapter with a mysterious or unhappy ending but I can't promise I will. Anyway R&R and you will be my favourite person ever. :) -L**_


	9. Welcome to Witzend

_**Hello you lovely people! Thank you very much for sticking with me through that little period of lazy writing. This chapter is slightly longer than usual in some attempt to make up for it, however I feel its hardly adequate thanks for your continued support. Thanks a lot guys. I think you guys should totally -in your REVIEWs - suggest ideas for the next chapter. Who knows, you might even see your idea turn up in the story! ;) And if I use one of your ideas I will credit you at the start of the chapter. But please bear in mind that if you review as a guest I cannot credit you OR reply to your reviews. Anyway, any and all opinions regarding my writing are, as always, more than welcome. **_

_**Enough from me - enjoy your new chapter!**_

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The next day, Alice rose before the sunrise. She was intending to get a few hours to herself before Mirana dragged her off to talk about the poxy wedding again. She dressed quickly in a pair of loose silken trousers and a matching robe. Alice still giggled to herself when she saw things like this in her wardrobe. They reminded her of that conversation she'd had with Hamish just a few weeks before. She wondered what Hamish would say if he could see her now.

With thoughts of home still swirling around in her head, Alice wandered through the palace until she came to the stables. The horses were all still sleeping soundly. She felt bad for it, but she went up to one of the sleeping horse's stalls.

"Excuse me?" she asked quietly. No answer. "Excuse me?" she asked a bit louder. The horse slowly opened one eye and looked at Alice.

"Yes?" it asked, yawning

"Sorry to bother you so early in the morning, but could you take me out somewhere?"

"I suppose so," the horse replied, shaking out its mane and trying to wake itself up.

"Oh thank you! I'll go get a bridle and saddle and we can set off just as soon as you're ready!"

And with that Alice ran off to the tack room. The horse stood up sleepily in its stall and shook its head slowly at the Aboveland girl who had settled so completely into Underland life.

* * *

As the first light streaks of morning were spreading across the Underland sky, Alice and the horse she had woken (she had been informed his name was Terrence) rode out towards the pass in the mountains that would take her to the plains she had viewed with Tarrant the day before. The pair made good time and were through the pass and onto the plains just as the sun was rising over the Wandering Woods. Alice had instructed Terrence to take her to Witzend, without revealing anything about her intentions when she got there. The sun was still low in the sky by the time they arrived.

Alice thanked Terrence graciously for his help and asked him to wait for her outside Witzend.

"I shouldn't be any longer than a few hours." She called as she walked into the small town.

Certainly, Witzend had a very domestic atmosphere. There were children running through the town and their laughter echoed around, giving the whole town a happy atmosphere. There were a few shops as well. Alice had never seen an Underland shop before and although she knew they must have them, they were still a surprise. She noticed a shop nearby that seemed to sell Underland clothes, so she went in to take a look around.

As she entered the shop she was greeted by an amiable young man in a tailor's attire.

"Greetings stranger! My name is Farcane and welcome to my shop. Is there anything I can help you with today?"

Farcane had an accent that was rather similar to Tarrant's. It was controlled and proper, yet you could tell that it wasn't the accent he was born with, rather one he had learnt.

"No, thank you," Alice answered politely. "Just having a look around."

"Alright." Farcane replied, still smiling. "Give me a call if you see anything you like."

Alice smiled politely at the man as he retreated into the back of the shop. Presumably he was employed in making some item or other back there, and that suited Alice just fine. She began to have a look around at the beautiful clothes hanging on railings all over the shop. The myriad of colours really was beautiful and she wandered around aimlessly, not really taking in any of the items that she came to, but admiring the bigger mix of colour all around her.

* * *

Tarrant had woken that morning earlier than usual. The sky was a beautiful pink colour, caused by the first streaks of sunlight rising over the mountains. He lay in bed for a while savouring the beauty of the view out of his window, before rising with a sigh and going to take a bath. He rather hoped that he wouldn't have to think about Alice and her strange mood the previous night if he put off attending breakfast.

It didn't work. Try as he might he simply couldn't get her out of his mind. The girl had him bewitched. Of course this was nothing new. Since the girl's return to Underland, she had been flitting in and out of his head almost constantly. However, these thoughts were almost always happy thoughts of love and contentment. Today, they were altogether unsettling. He just couldn't get out of his head the feeling that he had upset her, although he had no idea how he had done it. She had been so distant when they had dined together. Almost cold. Not quite but almost. And in the back of his very crowded head, there was one little voice that told him she had changed her mind. That she didn't want to marry a mad hatter like him. That she had finally come to her senses and realised that she could do so much better than him.

Tarrant didn't like this voice.

He dressed quickly and went downstairs to breakfast, hoping to find Alice in a more agreeable mood that he could identify with His Alice.

He didn't like this new sulky creature.

* * *

When Tarrant arrived at breakfast, he thought the worst thing he could find was the same Alice that had been at dinner the night before. He was wrong.

The worst thing he could find was no Alice at all.

He scanned the room a couple of times to ensure once and for all that she was not there, before accepting that she clearly was not and taking the empty seat to the right of Mirana.

"Good morning Tarrant." She greeted in her simpering voice.

"Good morning Mirana. Have you seen Alice today?"

"Well, no not as such. One of the stable boys said she left very early this morning on a horse called Terence. She told him to inform us that she would not be returning until this evening and that wedding plans were to continue without her for the day. Speaking of which, I have drawn some new sketches for your wedding cake that I should very much like to show you after breakfast..." She continued talking, but Tarrant had heard very little after hearing that Alice was out for the whole day. He couldn't explain why, but the very idea filled him with a feeling of dread, from the tippity top of his top hat to the tingly tips of his toes.

He suddenly became aware that Mirana had asked him a question, but he had absolutely no idea what the question was. Realising that he was required to provide some sort of reply, he decided to go with something vaguely reminiscent of truth. "I'm sorry Mirana; I didn't hear what you asked. I'm afraid that my mind was on other things entirely. If you'll excuse me, I am afraid that I'm feeling a little out of sorts. I need to get some air." And with that he rose from the table, without touching so much as a bite of his breakfast. He walked until he was sure he was outside the view of the dining room, then he ran full sprint to the stables.

* * *

Alice had been in Witzend for about an hour, and was beginning to grow accustomed to the friendliness of everyone she met. Generally, the children, women and some of the men spoke in a thick outlandish brogue. The shopkeepers and more educated men had a more learned accent similar to Tarrant's normal accent. She found that she rather liked the quaint little town. She had been to Farcane's shop, the bakers and what she thought was a sort of 'general store' thus far, and intended to visit as many of the little shops that lined the town's main street as she could before she was required to return to Marmoreal.

She spotted a library across the road and made an eager beeline for it. The second she opened the door, she was struck with what was, in her opinion, one of the most beautiful smells one could experience. The smell of books. Shelf upon shelf of them. She felt like she had opened the door and walked into heaven. She walked up to the nearest shelf and examined some of the tomes it contained. She spotted one called "Tea Parties – How to Be the Perfect Host". She giggled inwardly as she removed the volume from the shelf and took it to the nearest table to read. This was certainly a book that Tarrant would appreciate had he been there. At that thought Alice had a little pang of guilt that she had come here in secret, but she quickly dismissed it from her brain and turned her attention to the page she had opened the book at – 'How to Select The Perfect Crockery'. She had barely read 5 lines when she sensed someone standing behind her. She was about to turn around and chastise them for reading over her shoulder when they leant down and said – in a thick brogue:

"Lass, why am I nae surprised?"

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_**So, what did you think? Leave me a cheeky wee review or a suggestion and I will be very rather happy with you :D ~L**_


	10. Alice is at her Witzend!

_**Hello again loyal readers! Thank you for the lovely reviews. They really do make my day.**_

_**Anyway, here is chapter 10. Its almost hard to believe that I'm this far in! **_

_**Quick warning - there's a lot of speaking in Outlander accents in this chapter, and they are IMPOSSIBLE to write. Please be nice. They've turned into a strange cross between old scots and glasgow. **_

_**Also, I'm aware that Outlanders are NOT in fact scottish, but I have decided in my infinite wisdom (derisive laughter) that their "native" language is Scottish Gaelic. So there's a lot of that in this chapter too. I've put a little * next to any Gaelic phrases and I'll translate them for you with phonetics for pronunciation in the footnotes. **_

_**Again, thanks for the support guys. You rock. Seriously. Keep up the hard work reviewing.**_

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Alice's heart leapt and so did she. Without even looking properly she jumped up and threw her arms around the man behind her with breathless relief that Tarrant had come to find her.

The only problem was it wasn't Tarrant.

"Well ta for the welcome lass. Glad yer so happy tae see me again."

Farcane.

Oops.

Alice quickly relinquished the choking hold she had around Farcane's neck and stepped away, blushing profusely.

"Farcane, I'm sorry. I thought you were...someone else."

A friendly grin appeared across Farcane's face. "Well, ah guess ah wish ah was who ye though' I was. Wha' a welcome lass!" he teased.

Alice blushed an even deeper shade of red. "Well...ahem...yes...I..." She stuttered at her feet.

Farcane gave a good natured chuckle at her embarrassment. "Donnae worry lass, I'm only pullin' yer wee leg."

This didn't serve to make Alice feel much better, but she did at least manage to pull her gaze up from the floor and look Farcane in the eyes. Her mistake was understandable. Quite apart from the similar accents, Tarrant and Farcane did look rather similar. Maybe. If you didn't look too closely. Farcane had hair of a similar shade of bright orange to Tarrant, except that Farcane's hair was cut much shorter, so the tight curls didn't dominate his face, but rather framed it quite nicely. His eyes were a little smaller than Tarrant's, but they too were green, although a slightly deeper shade than Tarrant's. Farcane was also possessed of extremely fair skin and high, defined cheekbones. All in all, it was a rather easy mistake to make, or so Alice thought.

"Have ye got any plans fer the day lass? Only ye looked a wee bit lost and ah got some spare time tae show ye around if ye'd like it?"

Alice was rather taken by this charming stranger, and before she understood why, she had agreed to allow Farcane to show her around Witzend. Truth be told, she had been at a bit of a loss as to how to best experience the town. What could be better than being shown around by a local? Farcane beamed when she accepted his offer, and immediately offered his arm to her, which she gladly accepted, as he led her out of the library and back on to the main street in Witzend.

* * *

Alice and Farcane were sitting having tea together in a quaint little tea shop that was at the end of the main road when something occurred to Alice that she realised she probably should have noticed earlier.

"Farcane?" She asked

"Hmm?" he replied, having just taken a bite a scone with jam.

"Why is your accent different?"

He took a sip of tea to wash down the scone before replying "Ah guess ye mean why am ah talking like an outlander now when ah was talking like a toff earlier, aye?"

"Well, yes"

"Well Alice dear, this is how ah talk normally. When I'm in the shop and someone ah donnae recognise from Witzend comes in, ah put on mah neutral Underland accent. Its jus' easier tha' way."

"Whatever do you mean Farcane?"

"Well ye know how people can be tae outlanders like mahself..." he mumbled, suddenly embarrassed.

"No, I'm afraid I don't."

Farcane looked at Alice as though she had just said something extremely strange, like denying all knowledge of the colour of the sky.

"Are ye serious lass? Well then, ah guess ah had better be enlightenin' ye. See, years and years ago, long a'fore ah was born, there was a war in Underland. The 'normal' Underlandians won and mah people – the clans – were given the outlands as our lands. There's still a lo' of bad feeling between the two, even if we do live righ' next door tae each other. They donnae like tae hear folk talkin' like Outlanders. Makes 'em nervous. That's why we donnae use our own language anymore. We talk like them so as tae ease their minds. Bu' most of us still learn the language from our parents, like they did from their parents a'fore them.

"Oh how awful!" Alice exclaimed.

"Bu' its so silly don' ye think? Ah mean we're the same country ye' we act like enemies. Although some clans still ge' along alrigh' with the royalty. Mah clan for instance. Hightopps. We were at court a'fore the war and we still are."

"You're a Hightopp?" Alice asked, shocked.

"Aye, born and bred. Ye've heard of us then?"

"You came up." She answered quietly.

"Aye. Hightopps have been tailors as long as anyone remembers. We've been employed by the court tae make clothes for whoever happens tae be the monarch a' the time. Bu' only one of us a' a time. Which is why I'm stuck here in Witzend. There's already a Hightopp employed at Marmoreal. So ah got tae stay here and make clothes fer the lovely folk of the town and the odd passer-by, like yerself."

"Oh Farcane, I'm so sorry to hear that. But if it helps at all, your clothes are very beautiful."

"Well thanks very much lass. It helps a lo' tae hear a beautiful creature like yerself call anything of mine beautiful."

Alice blushed again, and looked down into her tea to hide it. Truth be told she was starting to feel rather guilty. Guilty for leaving Tarrant all on his own with Mirana. Guilty for going to tea with another man – another Hightopp no less. Guilty for leading this charming young man along by having tea with him. All in all she felt like she could do with getting back to Marmoreal soon.

But Farcane had other ideas. As soon as they were finished their tea he took hold of her arm and insisted on taking her around every shop in Witzend. He taught her to understand the currency they used in Underland and how much each of the unbelievably shiny little golden coins Mirana had given her was worth (quite a lot it seemed). By the time they arrived back in Farcane's shop in the early afternoon, she was almost sick fed-up of shopping. In fact, if she never saw another shop it would be too soon.

"Thank ye fer letting me show ye around the day Alice" Farcane said as he hung his coat on one of the hooks behind the door. "Ah had a really nice day."

"I did too." Alice replied, and she was pleasantly surprised that the words didn't taste like lies. She had actually enjoyed spending the morning with Farcane. However, when the young man's face lit up at her reply, she felt another pang of guilt in the pit of her stomach. They stood in companionable silence for a moment when Alice remembered something she hadn't realised she'd forgotten in the first place.

"Farcane? You said that Outlanders had your own language. Could you teach me a little of it?"

"Well if ye'd like tae Alice, then ah would be more than glad tae teach you! Right so, first of all there's 'good morning'. Repea' after me. Madainn mhath*.

"Madainn mhath."

"Very good Alice. Now try saying 'Mar sin leibh*'. It means 'Goodbye'"

"Mar sin leibh?" Alice replied uncertainly.

"Very good. Tapadh leibh*?" Farcane asked for next. "Tha' means 'Thank you'"

Again, Alice parroted it back to him as best she could.

"Tha gaol agam ort.*"

"Tha gaol a gum...uhhh"

Farcane laughed good humouredly at her attempt. "Try again lass. Tha gaol agam ort."

This time Alice got it right. "Tha gaol agam ort. What does it mean?" she asked, giggling at her feeble attempts to learn the language of the Outlanders.

Neither Alice or Farcane had noticed that Tarrant had entered the shop almost silently just as Alice had made her correct attempt at the phrase.

"Ye donnae need tae know wha' tha' one means Alice, _a ghraidh*_" Tarrant said, a hint of menace in his voice as he stepped towards the two of them, with orange flecks in his green eyes.

"Tarrant!" Alice exclaimed as she ran to embrace him. "You gave me a fright!"

"Aye, I'm sure ah did." He replied, his voice slightly less menacing, and the orange fading.

"Tarrant." Farcane greeted, most of his ordinary warmth gone.

"Farcane." Tarrant replied, equally icily, with a slight incline of his head.

Alice was extremely confused by their icy greetings. "Do you two know each other?" she asked both of them, looking from one to the other.

Farcane cleared his throat awkwardly and shuffled his feet as Tarrant explained, his voice back to its normal, lisping manner of speech. "Alice, allow me to introduce to you my nephew, Farcane. Although I believe such introductions are by now rendered unnecessary."

Alice's jaw just about hit the floor at this revelation. "Your...your _nephew_?"

"I'm afraid so Alice." Tarrant replied, still maintaining his icy demeanour. It unsettled Alice to see him like this. He had never even been this cold to Iracebeth, and heaven knew he had every reason to be.

"I trust Farcane has been pleasant to you this morning?"

"He's been the perfect gentleman actually." Alice replied, eager to thaw the atmosphere that had entered the shop with Tarrant.

"Well that's good then. I suppose I should thank you Farcane, for taking care of her. Heaven knows what could have happened if she'd been allowed simply to wander around. My fiancée does have a tendency to get into trouble."

Alice was chagrined by this comment, and Tarrant's announcing that they were engaged. She had no idea why it bothered her so much when just days ago she had been so desperate to let everyone know about their engagement. She supposed it was because it seemed as though Tarrant was using it to make Farcane jealous. But before she had to time to protest anything Tarrant had said, she was being eagerly ushered out of the shop by Tarrant. She just had time to call over her shoulder, "Mar sin leibh!" to Farcane, before the door slammed shut behind them.

* * *

"Tarrant!" She chastised him as soon as they were back on the main street. "What on earth was all that?"

"Nothing Alice dear, just making sure that Farcane knows what was is his, and what most certainly is not."

"Tarrant, he's your nephew! And anyway, it's not his fault. It's not as though he knew we were engaged when he offered to show me around."

Alice knew as soon as the words left her mouth that they were a mistake. She wished more than anything that she could just go and gather them all up off the ground and stuff them back into her mouth. Sadly, that was not an option.

"What do ye mean he didnae know tha' we were engaged?"

"Well...I- I mean it never...umm...he didn't..."

"Do ye mean tae tell me lass tha' ye spent the whole morning with a handsome young lad and it never once crossed yer mind tae tell him ye were engaged!"

Alice couldn't bring herself to answer. She couldn't even bring herself to look at Tarrant, because she knew full well what she'd see if she did. Two wide orange eyes, looking expectantly at her.

"Well?!" Tarrant demanded. "Have ye nae go' anything tae say?"

Alice couldn't think of anything she could say to make the situation better, so she decided to just be honest.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled, tears welling in the her eyes. "I never intended to hurt you. I never intended to lead him on. It was a mistake. It won't happen again."

And just like that Tarrant had swept her into his arms, forgiving her instantly. He knew in that instant that there was nothing he wouldn't forgive his Alice if she asked him to. Just seeing her biting her lip and trying to force back her tears that he was responsible for had felt like someone had driven a knife into his chest.

"Alice a ghraidh, please donnae cry. I'm sorry." He whispered into her mess of blonde curls. "Shh its okay. How would ye like to see ma house?"

Alice looked up at him with her big damp eyes and a big smile on her beautiful face.

"I would love to Tarrant."

Tarrant didn't even bother replying, he just started leading her down the street towards his home. Their home, soon. Suddenly, he was the one fighting back tears. Tears of joy.

* * *

**_So all the Scottish Gaelic stuff:_**

**_Madainn Mhath - pronounced Mah-deen Vah_**

**_Mar sin leibh - Mar shin luh-eeve_**

**_Tapadh leibh - Tap-uh luh-eeve_**

**_Tha gaol agam ort - Ha gaol ackum orsht. (gaol with the 'ao' pronounced like a long i like in inside but elongated)_**

**_You'll have to wait to hear what the last one is ;)_**

**_Anyway - thanks for reading. Please review I really do appreciate them and...yeah...you guys are awesome sauce! ~L_**


	11. Farcane's story

**Hello people! I bet you all thought I was dead or something? Well I am most horrifically dreadfully sorry that it took so long to update this. I had a lot of angry plot bunnies battling for attention and it took a while to figure out where I was going with this. I sort of roughly know after writing this chapter, so here you go. A brand new chapter, sorry its a little shorter than most, but with lots of plot, some hatter silliness and a little bit of fluff. **

**P.S In the last chapter, some of you guessed and you were correct. Farcane taught Alice to say 'I love you'. Sneaky fellow, tricking other people's fiancees into declaring their love for him ;)**

**Also, thank you to everyone who has reviewed/alerted this story. Every time I get an email for a review on this story it makes my day. Squee you guys are awesome :D**

* * *

Tarrant and Alice were sitting in Tarrant's house in Witzend. When they arrived at the house, Tarrant had given Alice a tour of the building and then left her to have a look around herself while he prepared some tea. He always kept tea in, even when he had been home in an immeasurable amount of time.

Now they sat at the kitchen table, a cup of tea and a saucer in front of each of them. Tarrant had apologised profusely several times for the dustiness of the house and crockery and had washed the teacups at least three times before Alice had snatched them out of his hands, dried them and placed them on the table. Then he had apologised for washing the cups too much, and for holding tea time back. In fact, Alice had been forced to ban him from apologising. When he then tried to apologise for apologising too much Alice had promptly clapped her hand over his mouth to stop him. They both giggled and Alice released him and led him to the table to have tea.

As Alice sipped delicately at her tea, a thought occurred to her.

"Tarrant, I understand that you would be possessive of me, but why did you still treat your own nephew with such coldness, even after you knew that nothing was happening between us?"

Tarrant paused for a moment, lowering his cup gently to the saucer. He considered for a moment before answering, "Not every family treats each other as family ought Alice. My family is a prime example of this."

"What do you mean Tarrant?"

"Well Alice, to answer that question, I must first tell you of a war that took place in underland many years ago. It happened when the people you now call Outlanders but who were then..."

"Oh! Farcane told me about this!" Alice exclaimed

"Indeed?" Tarrant asked, looking a little disappointed that he hadn't been able to finish his story. "Well, ummm alright Alice dear. Well then, since you already know about all that, we can proceed to the explanations, which are, in any case the point of the story and the reason that..."

"Tarrant!"

"Sorry, sorry Alice dear. Anyway, where was I? Oh yes. Well, after the war as I'm sure my dear nephew explained," Tarrant proceeded, adding more than a hint of sarcasm when he referred to Farcane, "the clans were not on very good terms with the rest of Underland, as I'm sure you can understand. Except for one. Because we had been the only clan that had tried to negotiate peace arrangements, the king of Underland at the time decided to grant certain privileges to the Hightopps. One person from the clan was allowed to remain at court at all times in the position of court tailor, on the condition that when they married, they could only choose a partner that was a member of court or another Hightopp. The Underlandians didn't much like the idea of having those with the blood of the other clans in their court. They were of the opinion that it might lead to...troubles breaking out again."

"Now Alice, you must understand that the privilege of being court tailor at Marmoreal is a great honour, and it is passed down through family lines to the firstborn child, be they male or female. It so happened that my father was court tailor and so, the honour of being tailor should have passed to my older brother, Cyrod, when father died. That is how things ought to have been."

Alice listened to Tarrant intently, all thoughts of tea forgotten, she was so enraptured by his story.

"But, as you and I know, it's certainly a very lucky day when everything is how it ought to be."

"When Cyrod was a young man – which, as I'm sure you can appreciate, was a long time ago – he fell in love. The object of his affection was a girl from the Eastmount clan. She certainly was exceedingly pretty and very kind and sensitive, but the rules were clear. Cyrod was forced to choose between the girl he loved and the traditions of his clan. Father was livid when he chose the girl. The two ran away together and for a year nothing was heard of either of them. Then, one night as I was awake late working on designs for a new hat, there came a knock at my door. It was Cyrod and his love. They had been living out in the wilds of the outlands together and as such, had neglected to get officially married. Yet she was with child. Extremely with child. In fact, so extremely with child that it looked like by the time the sun rose, she would be...without. I was shocked to see them but what could I do? So of course I took them in. In the course of an hour, she gave birth to a son. But the labour was hard and had taken its toll on her. It was soon clear that she was dying. Cyrod was beside himself with grief, but in honour of her last wish, he named their son after her father. Farcane."

Alice could barely believe what she was hearing. Her heart ached for Farcane. She felt tears welling in her eyes as Tarrant continued.

"Cyrod was so broken by the death of his beloved that he lost his mind utterly. The black could not be extinguished from his eyes, and so he was banished, for he was far too dangerous to be allowed to stay with the clans. Although I was barely a man myself at the time, I took Farcane in and raised him myself. He was a nice enough lad, quiet and caring, although he seemed to have inherited his father's penchant for rebellion and short temper. When my father died and I took up the post of court tailor, Farcane came with me. He learned the craft by my side, and although he was never allowed to enter court with me or speak to any courtiers, Mirana was kind to the boy and allowed him to assist me, until he came of age. The day he came of age, Mirana summoned him privately."

"Shortly afterwards, he re-emerged. He was obviously extremely upset and looked as though he had been crying. I tried to calm the lad, but he would have none of it. When I eventually discovered that Mirana was sending him away from Marmoreal, I tried to persuade her to allow him to stay, but she could not be swayed. I then tried to lessen the difficulties for Farcane. I gave him the shop in Witzend, which he accepted with all the poor grace of scorned youth. I tried to give him the house too, but he refused, saying he didn't want to live where I had. Instead he chose to live in the small room above the shop and for years, he would not reply to a single letter I sent him. If I came to talk to him, he would lock all the doors until he was certain that I had left. The final straw came when I went to him on his un-birthday with a present, hoping that he might let me in for a special occasion. He did not. Instead he chose to lean out of the window of his room and yell profanities for all of Witzend to hear. I was mortified and implored him to show some restraint. This only served to increase his anger and after another string of profanities, he told me in no uncertain terms what he thought of me then tore the fine silk Hightopp clan hat I had made for him and threw it to the street without a thought. After that ah swore that ah would have nae mare tae do wi' the lad."

Alice sat stunned as she watched Tarrant's orange flecked eyes return slowly to green. She could barely believe the story she had just heard, or the anger that Farcane had stirred in Tarrant. She reached out a hand and clasped Tarrant's callused, bandaged hand in her dainty, smooth one. Tarrant looked up at her gratefully. They knew that no words were needed at that moment, and so they just sat together silently for a while.

* * *

**Thank you for sticking faithfully with this story. This author would most definitely like to thank you for your continued support! :D**

**Please review this. Reviews are love and they really do help me to write faster because I get a better sense of the sort of plot things you guys want. **

**REVIEWS ARE LOVE GUYZZZ 3 3 3**


	12. Fuchsia is Her Favourite Colour

**First thing's first guys: This story is from here on in being bumped up to M rating. This is because of the fact that there will be lemons. If you're not okay with that then I suppose you could always skip over those bits. I'll warn you at the start of a lemony chapter.**

**Anyway, now that that's taken care of I want to thank all the new story followers and all of you that reviewed the last chapter. You made me happy :3 It seems Farcane is becoming more liked after the back story in the last chapter. I'm glad. I rather like the poor kid :)**

**Anyway, onwards and upwards. This chapter has some fluffy bits and was going to have lemons, if it hadn't been for the massive plot issues they would have cause, so I'm afraid they're going to have to wait a little longer. SORRY and please ENJOY! :)**

* * *

After tea was over and done with, Alice and Tarrant rode back to Marmoreal. As they were climbing the steps up to the main hall, the sun was setting behind the palace and they cast long shadows across the beautiful palace gardens. Just before they entered the hall for dinner, Tarrant grabbed hold of Alice's wrists and turned her to face him.

"Alice a ghràidh I am very sorry for acting so jealous earlier when you were with Farcane. I should have trusted you more. I just hope you realise that I never want to do anything to hurt you, or let anybody else hurt you, because I love you so very much."

Alice smiled and stood on her tiptoes to plant a chaste kiss on Tarrant's lips. "Tarrant, I love you too you silly hatter. I have since I was six years old! But you really ought to understand that I am a little older than six now, and consequently I am capable of looking after myself and making my own decisions."

Tarrant scowled at her for a moment before his expression softened a little and he replied, "All the same, Alice, I would certainly feel a lot better if you wouldn't leave to explore alone in future."

Alice was chagrined by the fact that Tarrant, even after all their adventures, seemed to think that she couldn't handle herself alone. "Well Tarrant, actually I felt like I needed some time to my own, so I decided to go and learn about your home and where you come from. I had no idea who Farcane was to you when I met him. As far as I was concerned he was a very polite and friendly young man who offered to show me around a strange town. Nothing more."

Alice stared Tarrant down, until he surrendered to her, chuckling good-humouredly. "I suppose I ought to have known. And I suppose if you can get Farcane to be reasonable again then I certainly shan't complain to have my nephew back." Tarrant smiled at Alice, but Alice didn't miss the little twinge of sadness mixed with anger in Tarrant's voice when he spoke of Farcane. Alice gently cupped his cheek and ran her thumb along his cheekbone. His eyes began to turn fuchsia, so Alice again stood on her tiptoes to kiss him, a little less chaste this time, before breaking away. She turned to enter the hall for dinner, before turning around again and poking him playfully in the chest.

"And by the way, I am perfectly capable of exploring alone, and you of all people should know that."

Then she took him by the hand, winked at him, and turned to lead him into the hall for dinner.

* * *

Both Alice and Tarrant had a very pleasant time at dinner, made all the more pleasant by the fact that Mirana was busy dealing with other business, and therefore unable to badger them about their plans for their fast approaching nuptials.

After the puddings had been eaten and quite a lot of wine had been consumed, Alice and Tarrant decided to go for a walk in the palace gardens. It was dark outside, but lamps were lit to show the paths between the hedges and through the winding paths, and creatures that looked like big fireflies buzzed lazily around. Tarrant and Alice meandered hand in hand through the gardens, unsure of where exactly they were or where they were going, and not caring all that much either. Eventually they came to a stone bench that was mostly hidden by a tall hedge behind it, but that sat facing out onto Underland. They sat together on it and Alice rested her head against Tarrant's shoulder. Tarrant made a soft grumble of approval and wrapped his right arm gently around her. They sat there, in contented silence for a while. Eventually, Alice broke the silence.

"Tarrant?"

"Hmmm?"

"Farcane was teaching me outlandish today."

"Yes. I know that Alice." Tarrant said, his jaw tightening.

"Well I was just wondering why you had never offered to teach me?"

Tarrant sat them both up and turned to face Alice.

"You wanted to learn outlandish?"

"I didn't even know it existed until today. Tarrant I want to know about you. I want to know about your past, and I want to be your future."

"Oh Alice dear." Tarrant whispered and pulled her in to kiss her on the top of her blonde curls. "Alright then. What would you like to learn?"

"Well, Farcane taught me a few phrases earlier. He taught me to saw 'madainn mhath', 'tapadh leibh', 'mar sin leibh' and 'tha gaol agam ort', although neither of you ever did tell me what that last one means..."

"Alice your pronunciation is excellent for a beginner, really you have a remarkable..."

"Tarrant, stop trying to change the subject. What does it mean?" Alice sat up and pouted at him.

Tarrant sighed and leaned in close to her. He put his lips up close to her left ear, and if it hadn't been for her positioning, she would have seen Tarrant's eyes turn a deep fuchsia. Into her left ear he whispered the words with the reverence he felt they deserved.

"Tha gaol agam ort." He breathed against her ear. He then moved his lips to her right ear and whispered their English equivalent.

"I love you."

Before Alice could respond, Tarrant had covered her mouth with his. He kissed her passionately, like he had the day of the battle. Without thinking, Alice melted into his kiss, kissing back hard, her lips moving with his as though they had been created to do this. Tarrant ran a hand through her long blonde hair, then slid his hand down to the small of her back, pressing her closer to him.

Alice's hands were gently wandering across Tarrant's shoulders and down his chest. When she nibbled gently on his lower lip he gave an appreciative growl and moved his mouth to trail kisses down the pale skin of her throat, causing Alice to let out a sigh of pleasure. She busied herself by removing his top hat and running her fingers through his thick, orange hair. It may have been Alice's imagination, but she thought it was a little tamer than it had been when she arrived in Underland. This thought was quickly extinguished however, by Tarrant taking her waist in both his hands and shifting her to sit straddling him. This movement duly accomplished, Alice resumed kissing Tarrant's beautiful lips.

Tarrant ran his hands slowly down Alice's back and gently tickled under her ribs, causing her to giggle into his mouth. She responded by running her tongue slowly along his lower lip, soliciting another growl of appreciation from her hatter. Alice shifted her weight slightly to make herself more comfortable, and felt the evidence of Tarrant's arousal. At that moment, it suddenly occurred to her how it would look if someone were to come round the corner and see them. They were unmarried, it would cause a scandal! Alice quickly leapt away from Tarrant and straightened herself and her slightly ruffled appearance, blushing profusely. Tarrant looked up at her, confused and rather disappointed, with wide eyes - irises a deep fuchsia that was almost purple in its intensity.

"I...I'm sorry Tarrant but...umm..I...uh...we...err...not married...and well...you know..." She stammered and muttered, paying particular attention to her feet as she spoke. "I have to go." She finished quickly and ran up the gardens back to the palace, leaving a very disappointed Tarrant still sitting on the bench staring after her.

* * *

Mirana awoke to frantic knocking on her chamber door. She quickly rose, slipping on a robe and answered the door. Standing there was Tarrant, looking slightly dishevelled and his eyes were orange with flecks of fuchsia.

"Tarrant? What are you doing here at so late an hour?"

"Ye have tae marry us!"

"What?" Mirana asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily. "Tarrant, what on earth are you talking about?"

"Alice and me! Ye have tae marry us as soon as ye can. The now! Sunrise! Ah donnae know, but we need tae be married, as soon as we can!"

Mirana was too sleepy to understand what on earth Tarrant was jabbering on about, and frankly far too tired to care, so she told him as much and that she would deal with whatever it was in the morning, and closed the door on a rather bewildered Tarrant. She returned to bed and tried to settle herself comfortably again. Just as she was on the cusp of falling back to sleep, she realised what Tarrant had really been referring to, and chuckled quietly to herself.

* * *

**That last little section was a last minute addition, but I thought it was quite cute. You could tell me your opinions on it using that lovely little review box! Ya know, just down there. A little lower. Oh yeah that's the box. Now go for it. Review! ~L**


	13. Hurrying Along

***SORT OF SPOILER ALERT"**

_Hey guys! I may have told some of you that this chapter would be the wedding chapter..._

_...I lied_

_It was going to be but it was getting to be really long so I split it. NEXT chapter will be (its being written as we speak)_

_There's some nice fluffy stuff etc. here though._

***END OF SPOILERS***

**Anyway, here is the latest chapter. You guys know the deal - R&R and I'll...buy you a jabberwocky or something. Or maybe just a cake. Or maybe I'll just write some kick ass lemons in a few chapters ;)**

**Onwards!**

* * *

Alice awoke the next morning to find that she had slept in rather a bit more than she had intended to. She dressed quickly, hoping that she might be able to salvage at least a cup of tea out of the morning, and left her room, heading towards the main hall.

As she was hurrying past Mirana's chambers, the door opened and Tarrant stepped out. Alice hadn't being paying much attention to where she was going and walked straight into her fiancé.

"Tarrant! I...I'm sorry I don't know I must not have been paying attention and I suppose I really ought to have been and well I really am most dreadfully sorry..."

"Alice!" Tarrant said, putting a thimbled finger to her lips to stop the flow of words and mentally chuckling at how like him she was becoming. "It's quite all right Alice dear. We were just looking for you actually. Come along!" he said, pulling her by the hand into Mirana's chambers, where –much to Alice's relief - there was tea set out on a small table at which Mirana was also seated.

"Hello Alice dear."

"Hello, Mirana." Alice replied, taking a seat opposite the queen, still a little confused about what was going on and a lot embarrassed about what had transpired the night before. She hoped that Mirana didn't know about the night before and in an attempt to appear unfazed, poured herself a cup of tea and helped herself to a scone. Tarrant sat down beside her and took her free hand in his own, causing her to blush slightly.

Mirana began, "Alice, Tarrant and I have been in discussion most of the morning, and we feel we should be able to come to a quick arrangement with your co-operation."

Co-operation? Arrangement? What on earth was she talking about? "Pardon?"

"Your wedding, Alice. I assume that you, like Tarrant, want the ceremony performed as soon as possible?"

"Of course I do!"

"And you understand, and do not object to the fact, that doing this necessitates it being a little more...restrained...than we had previously discussed?"

Alice could hardly believe her ears. _Mirana_ was suggesting a "restrained" wedding ceremony? Anything really was possible in Underland. "Absolutely yes oh definitely!"

Mirana smiled at Alice's eagerness to dispense with the finery, unsurprised but a little disappointed also.

"Then, if you are willing, we can have the ceremony at sunset today."

"To...today?" Alice stammered. Tarrant sensed her panic and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.

"It doesn't need to be Alice, if you feel it too soon. I just thought that since you are both so...eager..." she said, glancing knowingly at Tarrant, "that it would make no sense to wait and arrange something far grander than either of you want."

"Certainly, I agree Mirana. It's just a surprise, that's all. If you can make the arrangements then sunset will be just perfect."

"Excellent!" Tarrant exclaimed, rising from his chair. "Wonderful Alice, simply wonderful news. Now then Alice, I really must insist that you stay with Mirana and organise yourself. I really must be off anyway since it really is dreadfully bad luck for the groom and bride to see each other before the wedding and we're already tempting fate and there's a lot to be done between..."

"Tarrant!" Mirana exclaimed exasperatedly, stopping him mid sentence.

"Thank you." He wheezed. "I'm fine. And now I really must be off. Fairfarren Mirana. Fairfarren Alice. See ye a' the altar" He said, winking and slipping back into his natural accent momentarily before turning and swiftly exiting the room. Mirana gave Alice a look of exasperated amusement.

"Well then Alice, I suppose we ought to set to work."

* * *

Several torturous hours later, Mirana stepped away from Alice to admire her work.

"I think, Mally, that we are finished."

Mallyumkin took a long look at Alice, before tearing up and aplauding Mirana for her excellent work.

"Alright Alice, you can look now."

Alice turned to face the full length mirror in Mirana's chamber, where Mally and Mirana had spent the last few hours poking and prodding her and asking her to contort her face and body into ridiculous poses, much to Alice's complaint. But when she looked into the mirror, Alice decided it had probably been entirely worth it. The figure that looked at her from the glass was almost unrecognisable as Alice. Her normally wild mess of curls had been tamed somewhat, and while still curly, was decidedly less wild and far tidier. The dress that Tarrant had made her was simply beautiful. It was made of silk of the purest white. There were no sleeves on the dress, but it did go right down to the floor. It also had a little support around the waist with a built in corset. It was evident from its lack of frills and understated elegance that Mirana had had little, if any, input into its design.

"I can't believe it Mirana. I almost look...nice."

"Now Alice, you look far more than nice. Turn slowly so we can ensure that all is in order."

Alice did as she was told, enjoying the way the bottom of the dress flowed as she spun.

"Yes Mally, I think we have done a wonderful job," Mirana exclaimed, "although I do wish we had had the time to put something grander together."

Alice barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes at that last comment, but Mirana sensed the derision and hastily added "But I suppose neither Alice nor Tarrant cared much for that. This simple ceremony reflects them far better."

Alice smiled her approval.

"Oh! That reminds me, Tarrant gave me something and he specifically requested you wear it Alice."

Mirana turned to the dressing table behind her and picked up a wooden jewellery box. She passed it to Alice, who opened it and gasped at what she saw.

"His mother's necklace!"

"Is that what it is?" Mirana asked. "I thought it was rather inappropriate for a wedding, what with that big green stone on the necklace, but Tarrant was adamant. Here, let me secure it." Mirana assisted Alice in fastening the necklace and setting it correctly in relation to the dress, before turning them both to face the mirror once again.

Alice began to tear up, and was promptly scolded by Mirana, who forbade Alice from ruining the 'work of art' that was her face. When that didn't work, Mirana rolled her eyes, sighed exasperatedly and took hold of Alice's wrist, leading her to the door.

"Come along Alice, let's go for a walk in the gardens to calm down. The ceremony is due to start in less than an hour."

Before Alice could reply, Mirana was dragging her down to the gardens.

* * *

Once in the gardens, Mirana took Alice to a bench (incidentally, the same one herself and Tarrant had occupied the night before) and commanded her to sit.

"Alice, I took you out for a walk for a reason – and that was not to calm your nerves. To be perfectly honest, I don't believe that you are even a little nervous about getting married."

Alice shook her head. "Not really. I know that I love Tarrant, and I want to be with him. Although, sometimes he does get a little carried away with future planning..." Alice was thinking specifically of the mention of 'little Hightopps' a few nights previous. Alice didn't know whether she wanted children yet –she was only nineteen for goodness sake - but she was sure that she didn't want to think too much about it just now. One step at a time.

"Alice, sometimes planning is good. The reason I dragged you out for 'air' was to remind you of something. I notice that you and Tarrant have had it fairly easy thus far, and it worries me."

"What?" Alice exclaimed.

"Have you forgotten about the effects of Jabberwocky blood?"

"Oh." Alice suddenly remembered the discussion they had had a few weeks previous about the obstacles that Jabberwocky blood would apparently throw up in the path of their dreams.

"Indeed. I had thought that you would encounter difficulties before your wedding day, but clearly you have not, and so, I am a little concerned about when you will face these issues. I don't mean to alarm you, merely to warn you that the altar is not the end of the road. You still have an entire life ahead of you with Tarrant. Now, are you _absolutely _sure that this is what you want?"

Mirana was looking intently and expectantly at Alice. Alice bit her lip for a moment as she remembered the fight they had had in Witzend the day before. She remembered the panic she had felt as Tarrant spoke of little Hightopps. Her heart fluttered with the first hint of fear.

Then she remembered how she had felt when he had first kissed her. How she had felt as they kissed on that self same bench the night before. How she always felt when Tarrant's green eyes changed to their beautiful fuchsia. The fear was instantly swallowed by love. She took a deep breath and looked Mirana in the eye.

"I'm sure. I love him."

"Alright. Then I suppose we had better be heading back up to the castle. The ceremony is due to begin soon."

* * *

**So what did we think? Please R&R. Wedding chapter coming up next :D I'm excited -L**


	14. The Wedding

**Hello all! Welcome to the WEDDING CHAPTER! (omfg asdfghjkl excited much?). I'm afraid that this is extremely soppy and I make no apologies because I had an absolute blast writing it. I hope you all enjoy it. Let me know what you think in the reviews pwease :D**

* * *

Alice heard the music begin on the organ – a slow, stately Underland march. She took a deep breath and entered the throne room, with her bridesmaid – the queen – behind her.

As she entered the room, Alice was immediately struck by its beauty. She had to admit that Mirana had done a wonderful job at such short notice. The room was overflowing with lilies and satin bows. While it wasn't what Alice would have chosen, she had to admit that it looked wonderful.

She scanned the room as she walked towards the altar. Seated in rows (and taking up a sizeable portion of the room) were all of Mirana's courtiers. They smiled sentimentally at her as she made her progress up the aisle.

In front of them were Tarrant's friends. Nivens and Thackery were seated together, then Mallyumkin, and on the end of the row sat Chess with his usual delirious grin. Alice smiled at them and they smiled back at her.

Finally, she reached the front and looked at the person she had been saving for last. Tarrant stood before her, dressed in his formal kilt. He had put on (or perhaps been made to put on) matching white socks and black shoes, with long laces that wound up his leg to just below the knee. Instead of the usual mix of colour on top, Tarrant wore a white shirt, green waistcoat and black jacket. He had swapped his usual ascot for a cravat that matched the green of his waistcoat and had a single lily pinned to his lapel. He gave her a wide gap-toothed grin as she stepped onto the platform to stand facing him.

Mirana stepped behind Alice to stand between them. She would doubling up on roles, acting as bridesmaid and also performing the actual ceremony. As queen she had the authority to perform marriages and, as Underland was rather short on clergymen-especially at short notice, she had happily volunteered.

"Friends, we are gathered together on this joyous occasion to witness the union of Tarrant Hightopp and Alice Kingsleigh.

"I can truly say I know of no two people as well-suited for each other as Alice, our champion, and our own hatter, Tarrant Hightopp. All of us here have known Alice since she was a child, and spent many sad years waiting for her joyous return. In this time, we have also witnessed Tarrant's eager wait for her return. It is almost although time and fate had come to some agreement on the matter." She said, smiling

"First, we come to the promises. Tarrant, please make your matrimonial promise to Alice."

Tarrant turned to face Alice.

"I, Tarrant Hightopp, promise to love you, Alice Kingsleigh until the end of Underland. I promise to be honest with you in everything I do. I promise to put your needs before my own. I promise to be true to you for all eternity. I promise to remain with you always – in dark days and in fair. And, above all, I promise to cherish your love above all else."

Mirana nodded at Tarrant, smiling. "Alice, repeat the promise after me"

Alice made the same promise that Tarrant had made to her, repeating after Mirana. That duly accomplished, Alice expected the ceremony to progress to something similar to the rings in Aboveland weddings. Instead, Mirana asked the assembled congregation to stand and repeat after her.

"We, the friends of Alice and Tarrant," they said

"Promise to uphold their marriage as far as we all are able."

"We promise never to lead either into temptation,"

"And to assist them whenever assistance is required or requested."

The courtiers and friends then resumed their seats. Alice had not expected them to also have to make promises, and she was touched by the devotion of their friends in also making the promise.

Mirana began to speak again. "As in the tradition of our fathers, I ask you both now to please join hands together." Tarrant took Alice's left hand in his own left hand, causing their arms to cross over. Mirana then produced a long golden chain, which she proceeded to wrap around their crossed arms.

"This chain represents the marriage into which you both now willingly enter. Each link represents an important part of the marriage bond. Honesty. Devotion. Strength. Trust. Fidelity. Compassion. Generosity. Patience. Love. Each link must hold strong, or the entire chain will fail. As a representation of these links, each of you is given a golden ring." Mirana slipped the rings on their fingers, without breaking the lattice made by their fingers.

"Do you both undertake to hold together the chain of the marriage?"

"Aye." Tarrant proclaimed confidently.

Alice could only nod her consent.

"Then through the power I hold as sovereign ruler of Underland, I now pronounce you married. May peace and happiness follow you all your days."

And then Tarrant kissed her.

* * *

For such short notice, Alice was impressed and more than a little bit shocked by how much Mirana had been able to arrange for the wedding ball. She had arranged a magnificent feast and afterwards, a grand dance to celebrate the union of the newlywed couple. She found that although the Underland ceremony had been rather different to what she was used to, the wedding ball was rather similar to what she was used to in Aboveland. There was a magnificent wedding cake with five towering tiers, Tarrant and Mirana gave speeches and everybody was very merry.

Then, as the feast finished, Mirana's servants entered and, within a few minutes, the tables had been moved to the sides of the room, creating a large open space in the middle for dancing. By this time, it was starting to get dark in the throne room. However, instead of lighting the torches around the outskirts of the room like they usually did, the servants came in bearing large jars, each containing a large Underland firefly. These they place around the outskirts of the room before freeing about twenty more of the creatures to buzz where they pleased around the room.

The band began to play a slow dance and Tarrant took Alice's hand, leading her to the middle of the floor for their first dance as a married couple. Alice had never been overly fond of dancing, but with Tarrant, she could dance forever. Tarrant took her in his arms in an intimate embrace, wrapping both arms around her as she slid her lithe arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest. They swayed gently to the music, forgetting that a room full of people were watching them dance.

"Tha gaol agam ort Tarrant." Alice murmured .

"Tha gaol agam ort cuideachd." Tarrant replied, gently kissing the top of her head.

"What does that mean?" Alice asked, lifting her head slightly to look into Tarrant's emerald eyes.

Tarrant chuckled quietly. "It means 'I love you too', sweet Alice."

"Oh. I like it" Alice replied, snuggling against his chest again.

People were beginning to join them on the dance floor, and the soft light created by the fireflies that buzzed lazily about bathed them all in a beautiful golden glow. Alice thought it looked like it had been designed to reflect her exact feelings.

"You know Tarrant, I have to admit that Mirana did a wonderful job with the feast and ball. I was expecting it to be a lot more ostentatious and...well...Mirana. I can't believe she was so restrained."

"It certainly is beautiful Alice, but I can't help but think that it pales into insignificance when compared to the stunning creature I hold in my arms as we speak."

Alice didn't reply to this compliment as she had absolutely no idea what a proper ladylike response was to such a statement. Instead, she hugged Tarrant closed to her and whispered something into his green cravat.

"Pardon Alice? Dreadfully sorry, but I didn't quite catch what you said there."

"I said, promise me that you'll never let me go."

"Air mo bheatha agus air mo ghaol tha mi a toirt dhut mo ghealladh nach leig mi suibh as idir a rithist."

Alice sighed. "Tarrant," she chuckled, playfully hitting him on the chest, "either teach me the language or immediately translate everything you say. I'm sure what you said was perfectly lovely but I'm afraid that I have not the slightest idea what it meant."

"My apologies Alice, I quite forgot myself. What I said was – "On my life and on my love I give you my promise that I will never again let you go.""

"Oh Tarrant, that's beautiful! But I think I prefer it in Outlandish."

Tarrant chuckled quietly again.

"No, I mean it. You really must teach me the language. I find it perfectly ridiculous that I am your wife and I haven't a clue what you're saying half the time!"

"Whatever you want _a ghraidh,_ it's yours. Right down to my very soul. It has always been yours."

Alice couldn't find words fit to reply with, and her throat suddenly felt very tight. She held on to Tarrant as though he was saving her life, feeling that if she didn't she would surely fall in a heap on the ground.

Presently, the song they were dancing to finished. And then the next one. And, as is often the way with dances, each song after that until there were no songs left to dance to. The night was late, the guests were tired and the band had exhausted their repertoire, and so, Alice and Tarrant bid farewell and gave their sincere thanks to all the wedding guests, drawing the night to its official close.

However, they both knew the night was far from over.

* * *

**D'awwwwwwwwwwww cyoot right? Sorry for all the gaelic but I am NOT doing phonetics for that. If you're that curious then google it or something :P And please remember to review. I know you're out there reviewers. I can see you. Just leave me a little message? Just an iddy biddy wickle one? *puppy dog eyes***

**Thanks guys!**

**P.S Next chapter will be lemony and only lemony so if that's not how you roll then just skip it - I won't put anything important to the plot into it so that you can skip it without missing anything.**

**~L**


	15. For the First Time

**Did someone say lemons?**

**Seriously guys, very M rated chapter coming up so those of you who are of a less...mature...nature may wish to skip this chapter. I promise nothing important to the plot happens.**

**Is that clear?**

**Yep?**

**You sure?**

**Then onwards!**

* * *

As the guests were filing out of the hall and into the night outside, Tarrant and Alice went to speak to Mirana.

"Many thanks Mirana, it was a truly splendiferous evening!" Tarrant exclaimed, shaking her hand enthusiastically. "I mean really wonderful"

Mirana laughed. "You are most welcome! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it." She replied, looking at Alice as she said the last part.

"It was beautiful Mirana." Alice replied smiling.

"It was the least I could do for our champion and our hatter. Oh, by the way Tarrant, I have something for you both."

"Indeed? That is extremely generous of you Mirana, particularly after all you've done for us with the wedding and all and the accommodation and the feasts and..."

"Tarrant! Be quiet. Here you are" she said, producing a large brass key and handing it to Tarrant with a knowing look – which Tarrant returned.

"Ah. Thank you very much Mirana, most generous indeed of you. Now Alice, shall we retire for the night? It certainly has been a very long night." Tarrant was dragging her by the hand to the door. "Goodnight Mirana!" He called over his shoulder as they were leaving.

Alice heard Mirana call after them "Fairfarren Hightopps!" and she could have sworn she heard Mirana giggle quietly, which was most unlike her. She didn't have time to look round though, as Tarrant was leading her by the hand out of the hall as fast as he could.

* * *

Tarrant led her through Marmoreal up to a room on the very top floor, with the obvious question only occurring to Alice when they had stopped and Tarrant was trying to find the key Mirana had given him.

"Where are we going?"

"Mirana has set aside new chambers for us to live in as a couple until we get the house in Witzend ready to move back."

"Oh." Alice thought for a moment before asking another question. "What was wrong with our old chambers?"

"Oh nothing, I'm sure," Tarrant replied, brandishing the key which he had found in the inside pocket of his jacket. "I suppose it was so we wouldn't have to decided whose chambers to move into, or live separately. Also, these chambers will be bigger and afford us more...privacy."

Suddenly, Alice understood. She had forgotten for a while what marriage meant. She also now understood why Tarrant had been in such a hurry to retire to their new chambers. A thrill of nerves shot through her and settled in her stomach, morphing into uncomfortable butterflies.

Tarrant finally unlocked the door, but as Alice was about to step through the doorway he flung out an arm to stop her.

"I believe that in Aboveland it is customary for the groom to carry his new wife across the threshold of their home once they are married?"

"Well, yes I suppose so, but we aren't in Aboveland. And this isn't our new home."

"Oh never mind all of that," Tarrant replied brushing off her protests. "I think it's a wonderful tradition."

Before Alice had opened her mouth to reply, Tarrant swept her up into his arms with well-placed swipe from his right hand into the back of her legs, catching her around the waist with his left. He lifted her quickly off the ground and she was forced to fling her arms around his neck to keep them both balanced.

Tarrant placed a kiss on Alice's soft lips and stepped through the doorway, never breaking the contact between their lips. He kicked the door shut behind them but, instead of putting Alice down once they had crossed the threshold; he carried her all the way to the bed, sitting her down gently on the edge. He tried to step away, but Alice refused to let him go, sliding her hands down from around his neck to clutch at the lapels of his jacket. She forced their lips together with a ferocity that shocked even Tarrant and left him floundering momentarily, before he reacted with equal vigour. Each mouth fought for dominance over the other, leading to both parties gasping desperately for air at any opportunity that arose. This was a kind of passion that had been forbidden to them before now because propriety demanded it.

But no longer.

Tarrant pulled away from Alice for a moment so that he could reposition them both. He pulled her from the bed, smiling at the pout her lips adopted at the absence of his own. Sitting on the bed, he invited her to return to sit across his lap, much the same way they had been the previous night. For a moment, Alice hesitated as she once again saw the evidence of his arousal and the butterflies returned to her stomach. She looked into Tarrant's eyes, blue meeting fuchsia, and a jolt of warmth ran though her causing her to shiver. She smiled at Tarrant and stepped into his embrace, putting her knees on the bed on either side of his waist so she straddled his hips. She lowered her mouth to his and kissed him again, somewhat gentler than before. She ran her tongue gently across his lower lip, eliciting a shudder and a moan from Tarrant.

Tarrant ran his hands up and down the back of the dress he had made for his stunning wife. He decided that they had been clothed quite long enough, and set to work on the long line of pearl buttons that ran down her spine, instantly regretting the design. Alice understood what he was doing, and held still, trying to make it easier for him. It didn't seem to work very well but eventually Tarrant had undone all of them. Alice stood up and let the dress fall to the ground. Underneath she wore nothing but a pair of white lace panties. Tarrant looked her up and down hungrily and Alice suddenly felt self-conscious. She tried to cover her breasts with her arms, but Tarrant took hold of her wrists to stop her.

"Lass, don't cover yerself up," he said, looking her in the eyes. "Yer the most beautiful creature in the world. Don't hide it."

Alice blushed as Tarrant brought her arms down to her sides. He leaned into her stomach, trailing light kisses down the smooth, pale skin. He hooked his long fingers into the waistband of her panties, but Alice caught his fingers and removed them.

"Oh no you don't," she said playfully. "You are far too clothed. I think it's high time you caught up."

Alice pushed Tarrant's jacket down slowly off his shoulders. His green cravat quickly followed, as Alice tossed it carelessly over her shoulder. His waistcoat was slightly fiddlier to remove on account of its large square buttons, but eventually it joined the growing pile of discarded clothes on the floor, as did his shirt. Tarrant now sat on the bed wearing only his kilt, socks and shoes. Alice had never appreciated before how well muscled he was, but now she could see him she realised that he must actually be quite strong. When she looked back, that made sense, considering how skilfully he had wielded a claymore against the Jabberwocky.

Tarrant removed his own socks and shoes, as apparently the way the laces wound up his legs was quite complicated and far too fiddly for Alice to do. She stood patiently while he did this, then sat beside him on the bed and kissed him passionately. She ran her hands down the hard planes of his pale chest and stomach to the waistband of his kilt. For a moment she ran her hands around the entire waistband, trying unsuccessfully to figure out how to open it. Tarrant realised what she trying to do and chuckled into her mouth before pulling away.

"Allow me, lass" he chuckled, and with a deft movement of his fingers, the kilt unwound. Tarrant pulled it out from under himself and threw it with the rest of the clothes on the floor.

Alice was suddenly aware that Tarrant was naked. Very naked. She had been expecting him to be wearing some kind of underwear underneath the kilt, but he had not, and now he sat in front of her completely naked. She was not exactly experienced in the field of naked men, but she got the feeling that Tarrant had more to offer than the average man. But then her hatter had never been normal, had he?

She felt nervous yet again faced with such an obvious reminder of what she was about to do. Tarrant sensed her hesitation and took her hands in his own. He tilted her chin up so she was looking into his –now purple- eyes.

"Hey lass, it's alright. We can take it as slow as ye like."

Alice swallowed nervously and took a deep breath before replying. "Okay Tarrant."

"Lay back lass."

Alice did as she was told, lying on her back with her head on the pillows.

"Are ye comfortable?"

Alice nodded.

"Excellent. Try to relax, a ghraidh." Tarrant said, stretching up the bed to kiss her gently.

Alice tried to do as she was told, but with limited success. The butterflies in her stomach felt like they were trying to break out. Tarrant seemed to sense this, and took Alice's hand in his own, kissing the palm and wrists, working his way up her arm with his lips. He came to her shoulder and kissed his way across her collarbone and down to her breasts. He took her left nipple gently in his mouth and suckled on it. The second his lips closed around her nipple, Alice gasped and felt a jolt of pleasure run through her, and she grabbed fistfuls of his bright orange curls. Tarrant took that as his cue to move to the other nipple, and lavished it with equal attention. He licked swirls around it then ran his tongue down her stomach, flicking playfully at her belly button, causing Alice to let out another moan of pleasure.

Tarrant hooked his long fingers under the waistband of her panties and pulled them down her lithe legs, tossing them over his shoulder and removing the last barrier to their union. He looked up at Alice to gauge her reaction and she seemed to have relaxed somewhat, so he decided it was safe to push it a little further. He stroked her curls gently with one of his long, callused fingers before dipping it gently into her hot core.

The moment Tarrant's finger entered her, Alice's back arched. Tarrant waited, still as a rock, for her to settle down again. She did after a moment, and Tarrant began to move his finger slowly inside her. Alice was gasping and panting in pleasure. He added another finger, enjoying the warm wetness that coated his fingers and was beginning to drip slowly down his hand.

Alice couldn't believe the sensations that Tarrant was causing inside her. The moment he had entered her with his finger, it had been an extremely unusual feeling, but also quite pleasurable. And the longer he kept at it, the more she enjoyed it. She soon began to feel a coiling in the pit of her stomach. Tarrant must have sensed that she was close to the edge, as he brought his thumb up to flick at her clitoris. It only took a few more seconds of this double pleasuring before the coil in Alice's stomach released and she let out a wordless cry of pleasure mixed with desire, her limbs spasming and releasing wildly.

Tarrant waited calmly for her climax to subside. Once it had and Alice's breathing had slowed a little, Tarrant stretched up to kiss her again, lining their bodies up and balancing on his elbows above her.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes."

That small word was all Tarrant needed. He entered her a little at first, so she could get used to the feeling of them being together. Alice gasped and Tarrant stopped instantly, terrified that he had hurt her.

"Are you alright Alice?"

"It's alright Tarrant. I think it would best to just get the difficult bit done with quickly?"

"You're sure?"

"No, but I'm willing to try it" Alice replied.

Tarrant nodded. He leaned in close to Alice and whispered "Tha gaol agam ort" before thrusting into her, filling her entirely.

Alice let out a whimper as Tarrant entered her. She didn't want Tarrant to worry that he had hurt her, but equally, this was something she was not exactly acquainted with. They both held their breath for a few seconds, getting used to the feeling of being joined. Eventually Alice exhaled and Tarrant quickly followed after her.

"Do you want to continue, Alice?" Tarrant asked gently.

"Yes Tarrant. It's okay, I'm fine." Alice replied, stroking Tarrant's cheek.

Tarrant nodded wordlessly, and began to move inside her. Alice thought the feeling extremely strange at first, but began to get used to it, and eventually enjoy it. She felt the familiar coiling in her stomach and began to pant, moving her hips in a rhythm with Tarrant.

With each push, Tarrant took her closer and closer to the edge. He was close to the edge too, but he was determined that Alice would enjoy her first time. He snaked a hand down in between the two of them and rubbed at her clitoris, pushing her across the precipice for the second time that night. Alice's moans of pleasure took him over the edge soon after.

Tarrant collapsed beside Alice, exhausted and pulled her into a sweaty embrace. He covered them both with the bed covers and whispered in Alice's ear, "That was wonderful, my beautiful wife."

Alice turned her head and met his lips with her own, softly, before pulling away and replying, "Same to you my handsome hatter husband."

They fell asleep beside each other for the first time, a contented tangle of sweaty limbs and rumpled bedsheets.

* * *

**So what did you guys think? This is my first ever attempt at anything even a little lemony so reviews WOULD BE EXTREMELY LOVED cos I have no if that was any good or whaaaaat...so yeah guys...reviews = love.** **~L**


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